Vivienne Westwood was never just a fashion designer; she was a polemicist, a provocateur, and a cultural architect whose medium happened to be cloth, leather, and tartan. Her garments screamed revolution from the runway, but a new, landmark publication argues that to truly understand the grammar of her dissent, we must look closer—at the glint of a safety pin, the weight of an orb pendant, the defiant sparkle of a crystal choker. For the first time, Vivienne Westwood’s extensive and often-overlooked jewellery archive is the subject of a definitive new book, a tome that unseals a treasure trove of ornamentation and, in doing so, recasts our understanding of her avant-garde vision.
This is not merely a coffee table accessory. It is a critical piece of fashion scholarship, compiling never-before-seen pieces from closely guarded public and private collections. It affirms what insiders have long known: that Westwood’s jewellery was never an afterthought. It was the punctuation to her sartorial statements, the concentrated core of her message, carrying a symbolic weight far exceeding its physical form.
An Archive Unsealed: More Than Just Adornment
While the world rightly celebrates her deconstructed tailoring and historicist corsetry, this new book makes a compelling case that the jewellery was the ideological nucleus of the Westwood universe. It charts a lifelong fascination with adornment, tracing her practice from the raw, anarchic energy of her earliest punk creations to the opulent, neoclassical grandeur of her later years. What emerges is a portrait of an artist who used jewellery as both a shield and a weapon—a way to comment on society, politics, and the very nature of value itself.
The publication offers an exhaustive visual journey. Through an extensive photographic archive, it documents key runway moments and iconic editorial spreads, providing irrefutable evidence of how these small, potent objects were instrumental in defining the Westwood aesthetic. This isn't just about accessorizing; it's about codifying a look, an attitude, a rebellion. The book details how Westwood consistently blurred the lines between costume and fine jewellery, a radical act in an industry built on rigid hierarchies of materials. She found as much power in plastic and pewter as others did in platinum and diamonds, subverting expectations and challenging what society deemed precious.
By exploring her use of unexpected materials and groundbreaking techniques, the book provides a masterclass in her creative process. It reveals a mind that saw history not as something to be revered from a distance, but as a dressing-up box to be raided, reinterpreted, and thrown back at the establishment with a wink and a sneer. Her jewellery became the vessel for this dialogue, a tangible link between the past she adored and the future she demanded.
The Muses and The Moments: Moss, Herzigová, and Teller
A designer’s legacy is often cemented by the icons who wear their work, and Westwood’s orbit was star-studded. The book wisely anchors its narrative in these legendary moments, bringing the archive to life with anecdotes and imagery from her most famous collaborators. We are reminded of the sheer cultural force of these pieces, not as static objects in a museum case, but as dynamic elements on the bodies of the world’s most captivating women.
Among the most dazzling highlights are the pieces that have become fashion scripture. There is the breathtaking Eva Necklace, a cascade of brilliance worn by a statuesque Eva Herzigová in the unforgettable Spring/Summer 1997 “Vive la Bagatelle” show. The book contextualizes this moment, showing how the necklace was not just a beautiful object but the embodiment of the show's decadent, playful spirit. Then there is the Choker, a piece so iconic it is almost synonymous with 90s cool, famously and frequently donned by Kate Moss. The imagery of Moss, the ultimate icon of effortless rebellion, wearing Westwood’s defiant jewels, solidified a new kind of anti-luxury glamour that resonates to this day.
The contributions from these collaborators provide invaluable context. First-hand testimonies and anecdotes from models and muses paint a picture of what it felt like to be part of Westwood’s world—to wear a piece of her history. Adding another layer of visual depth is the inclusion of unique imagery from the legendary photographer Juergen Teller, whose raw, unfiltered lens perfectly captured the spirit of Westwood’s designs. His work, featured in the book, helps to contextualize the enduring legacy of these pieces, showing them not just as runway props, but as integral parts of a cultural movement.
Subverting Tradition: From Punk Pins to Neoclassical Pearls
The book masterfully navigates the diverse epochs of Westwood’s career, taking the reader on a chronological journey through her ever-evolving aesthetic. It begins in the crucible of 1970s London, with the subversive punk pieces that started it all. Here, jewellery was repurposed and re-contextualized: safety pins, chains, and controversial symbols were elevated from utilitarian objects to badges of honour for a disenfranchised generation. The book analyzes how these early works were a direct assault on the sensibilities of traditional fine jewellery, rejecting its polish and politeness in favour of something raw, real, and urgent.
From there, we are guided through her later, more romantic periods, including her deep dive into neoclassical and rococo influences. Yet, even here, Westwood was no mere copyist. Her pearl chokers and ornate, orb-emblazoned pendants were infused with a punk spirit. She took the symbols of the aristocracy—the very establishment she sought to dismantle—and democratized them. The iconic three-row pearl choker, for example, was less about debutante balls and more about a new kind of rebellious royalty. It was history, but remixed with a distinctly modern, and often political, edge.
This exploration highlights one of Westwood’s greatest contributions to fashion history: the complete obliteration of the boundary between what was considered "fine" and "costume." She proved that the value of a piece lay not in its carats, but in its concept. This book serves as the definitive record of that revolutionary idea, demonstrating how her approach to adornment fundamentally changed the conversation around luxury and craftsmanship.
The Politics of a Pendant: Jewellery as Social Commentary
To divorce Vivienne Westwood’s work from its political and social context is to miss the point entirely. This publication delves deep into the symbolic significance embedded in her creations, illustrating how every piece was a form of commentary. Her jewellery was a vehicle for her activism, a way to communicate complex ideas about consumerism, climate change, and civil liberties in a language that was both beautiful and confrontational.
The book details how specific motifs were imbued with layers of meaning. The Orb, her most famous logo, is a perfect example. It brilliantly combines the royal iconography of the British Crown Jewels with the rings of Saturn, fusing tradition with a forward-looking, futuristic vision. It’s a symbol of taking the past and launching it into the future—a perfect encapsulation of her entire design philosophy. The book provides the in-depth analysis needed to decode these symbols, offering readers a new level of appreciation for the intellectual rigor behind the glamour.
Through rare photographs and first-hand testimonies, we see how these messages were consistently woven into her output, season after season. The jewellery was not a passive accessory; it was an active participant in her protest. By wearing a Westwood piece, you weren’t just wearing a brand; you were aligning yourself with a worldview. This new book is the most comprehensive look yet at this aspect of her genius, solidifying her status not just as a designer, but as one of the most important cultural commentators of our time.
Ultimately, this book does more than just catalogue an impressive collection. It completes the portrait of Vivienne Westwood. It fills in a crucial, glittering piece of the puzzle, proving that her genius was just as potent in a palm-sized pendant as it was in a runway-sweeping gown. For students of fashion, followers of her work, and anyone interested in the power of design to effect change, this is an essential text. It ensures that when we speak of Westwood’s legacy, we remember not only the cut of her clothes, but the defiant, brilliant, and revolutionary power of her jewels.
