Vivienne Westwood was absolutely right – it really is all nonsense.
Throughout her career she addressed repeatedly the importance of creating and preserving your style and character through fashion choice, and how without this we will transform into nothing other than “anonymous clones”.
Westwood, more than anyone else, understood the importance of maintaining your individuality while ‘using’ fashion as means to make your voice and opinion heard. In many interviews she spoke about the lack of values in art and how artists shouldn’t have responsibility to the public but only to their vision.
Having such an important mission, it’s simply impossible to rely on references- you have to use your own voice and no one else’s.
What does keeping up with the times actually mean?
Now more than ever, it is essential to be analytical and filter through the content we consume, and the references we are drawn to. While staying informed is definitely important, we are currently confronting questions of overconsumption. What happens when humans are overwhelmed with too much information? When they become stuck in a cycle of constantly receiving new information with no time to process it and digest it from their own perspective? When investing too much time trying to figure out what everyone else is doing, how and why they’re doing it, we totally forget to focus on what we would like to do.
As a designer, when I’m creating it’s essential to detach myself as much as possible from any fashion references and influences. I don’t even want to think about fashion, the only thing I focus on is to successfully express whatever I need to say, and this has nothing to do with fashion. Fashion is just a tool for this, or as Vivienne Westwood would say: “an excuse”.
“Buy less, choose well, make it last” — Vivienne Westwood
Trend obsession truly is out of control. The overproduction in the fashion industry is affecting our environment like no other industry. Trends are appearing to operate pretty much like addictions: acting on trends has become a repetitive behavior, where consumers purchase without even questioning whether they truly need to. The allure becomes automatic, habitual.
Why do people feel such urgency to ‘keep up’ with the fast changing trends?
The harsh truth is that it’s simply impossible to keep up with trends without missing out on something – since it’s physically (and mentally) impossible to stay on top of it all. Instead, shift your focus on cultivating your own sense of style, concentrate on what brings you a deeper sense of personal satisfaction and authenticity.
Next time when tempted by the latest trends, it can be beneficial to take a moment and question whether the item is genuinely needed. Whether there’s actual enjoyment in wearing winter cowboy boots with a miniskirt when it’s 40 degrees outside – or is it better when feet are not sweating and heart is not racing?
It really is so rewarding once we finally free ourselves from fashion FOMO and master the art of conscious shopping, dressing, and creating.
Fashion has always been a powerful tool for self-expression, whether in the form of a creation or simply the choice how to dress. The way we dress expresses our individuality, values, the way we feel and how we want to be perceived in the world. Therefore following what is trendy is a really big contradiction to all of this, and can significantly affect our self-perception.
Vivienne Westwood believed that mass production and conforming to the superficiality of trends was stripping people of their individuality, leaving them devoid of context and personal creativity. She was constantly reminding us of the paramount importance of remaining true to our creative vision. The lessons we can take from her are countless.
Westwood frequently voiced her disappointment with the younger generation’s apparent lack of curiosity and discipline – qualities essential for genuine creativity. Throughout her life, she constantly preached the value of knowledge and education, seeing them as crucial to artistic and personal development. Perhaps consumers of today need to apply more considered thought and passion to their choices of self expression, rather than just copying what they see in front of them.
Written by Nia Topalovaa a GLITCH Magazine Contributor
