EXHIBITION REVIEW: Framing Fashion @ Bowes Museum

Image: Gingham Painter’s Smock embellished in foil and flock Boulle design, Boulle tights, Salon SS 1992

Described as “the result of 30 years of passion”, Peter Smithson’s Vivienne Westwood collection, which spans two decades of the iconic artist and activist’s work, has been unveiled by the Bowes Museum.

Framing Fashion explores the artistic influences behind some of Westwood’s most iconic collections, combining pieces from Smithson’s collection with art from the Bowes Museum collection that may have originally inspired Vivienne. The exhibition displays some pieces from the previous show, A Collectors Story, allowing for a wider overall interpretation of Vivienne’s work. Smithson is adamant that “the most important thing […] now is that it’s a fitting tribute to Vivienne and that it’s a shared experience that other people can enjoy”. As a result, the collection covers the 80s and 90s, and though this spans only a short period of her long-lasting career, this has been deemed when Westwood’s fashion ‘was most Vivienne’ – uninfluenced by Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren or either of her husbands.

Creating a greater picture of her flare for flamboyant design, A Collectors Story displays Vivienne’s changes in influences during the same period and exhibits some of her most renowned pieces. The infamous love jacket – two curved black velvet lapels coming together to form a heart on a red wool jacket – was one of several pieces displayed in the collection. Originally made by Westwood and her assistant on a sewing machine, for Smithson, this piece highlights the intricate connection between Vivienne and her work.

The elaborate details of her work were partially discovered in the making of the exhibition. During a digital reconstruction of the paint-splashed grey Painters Smock, a side pocket was omitted from the digitised design, leading to the discovery of a revelatory fact about Vivienne and her acclaimed designs: as a result of her chain-smoking habit, her outfits would always have a hidden pocket for her to keep her cigarettes; if she was wearing a corset she would tuck cigarettes into the top so that they remained easily on hand.

Though her ideas were influenced by elements of sculpture, photography, film, theatre and social movements, Framing Fashion’s focus on how art has influenced her designs creates another layer of beauty to the eclectic pieces. It showcases her artistic inspirations, spanning from the Greco-Roman Period to the punk era of the 90s, with a spotlight on Renaissance art pieces, highlighting Vivienne’s talent for mixing historical and fashion elements. Through this, Framing Fashion is a powerful bridge between the past and the present. It highlights how our histories shape us indefinitely and how individuals can define it, just as Westwood did with her diverse and distinctive artistry that left a mark on the future of fashion.

Perfect for all lovers of fashion history, punk and art, Framing Fashion will be at the Bowes Museum until 2nd March 2025.