Exhibition explores Vivienne Westwood's artistic processes and legendary pieces, He Qi reports.

From her iconic orb logo to horn accessories inspired by the Greek mythological satyr and cherry brooches crafted from Coca-Cola cans, Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022), an iconic designer, ranks among the most influential fashion visionaries of the past half-century.

The Vivienne Westwood & Jewelry exhibition makes its Asian debut in Shanghai's Taikoo Li Qiantan. Running from July 29 to Aug 31, this showcase features over 400 pieces spanning four decades — archival treasures, runway sensations, and sartorial experiments — offering an unprecedented exploration into the British designer's revolutionary vision.

Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood's longtime partner and the creative director behind her eponymous brand, notes: "Jewelry is powerful; it can be loaded with meaning. It marks life and gives it importance."

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Alanna Davidson, partnerships director at Nomad Exhibitions, the company collaborating with the Vivienne Westwood brand to create the exhibition, adds: "It's rare to have special archive and runway pieces displayed as a collection, showcasing over four decades of work across jewelry, clothing and accessories."

Born Vivienne Isabel Swire in Tintwistle, Glossop, England, in 1941, Westwood grew up in the English countryside outside Manchester. Her family moved to London in 1957, and she later studied silversmithing at Harrow School of Art, where she crafted her first jewelry pieces. She married in 1962, adopting the surname Westwood. They divorced in 1965.

Westwood's jewelry journey began in the 1970s, when she sold pieces from a stall at London's Portobello Road market. She later integrated costume jewelry as statement pieces in her catwalk collections, each carrying its own figurative metaphor. Launching her design career in 1971, she pioneered the punk aesthetic and emerged as a symbol of British avant-garde by the late 1970s.

In 1989, she met Kronthaler, who became her husband and long-term design partner. Together, they drew inspiration from historical dress, culture and fine art, forging the brand's distinct identity.

The exhibition in Shanghai is structured around distinct themes across eight rooms, each focusing on a different design era that encompasses punk origins, wonderland fantasies, the ecological "Do It Yourself" philosophy, cultural explorations, 18th-century parure, and a tribute to the brand's emblem in "The Orb Tree".

The "Origins" room hums with countercultural energy. Wallpaper adorned with 1970s punk imagery frames exhibits such as safety-pin necklaces and studded cuffs, artifacts that originate from Westwood's days at the Portobello Road market. Nearby, 18th-century-style pearl tiaras glint in the light, revealing her lifelong fascination with historical opulence — a duality that defines her work.

Against this backdrop, visitors trace the roots of her style through early works and emblematic jewelry pieces that encapsulate her look. Her activism is also prominent in her use of recycled materials, reflecting a deep commitment to ecological causes.

Inspired by the Greek mythological satyr, a symbol of untamed freedom, Westwood introduced horns as accessories in her Spring/Summer 1988 show, a design also featured in the Shanghai exhibition. Davidson highlights these horns as among Westwood's cherished jewelry creations.

One of the important exhibition series is The Orb, which Kronthaler describes as "a jewel symbolizing the world: about its past, present and, with the added Saturn ring, its future".

"It's very British and very Vivienne," he says. This motif comes to life in "The Orb Tree", where luminous replicas dangle above clips from legendary runway shows, illustrating its evolution from royal regalia to a punk-chic icon.

The "Parure" section highlights Westwood's love for 18th-century art. Davidson explains that Westwood was interested not only in 18th-century art but also its thinkers, figures and writers, which are all reflected in this collection. "The mannequin wears a contemporary parure set with a tiara, earrings and necklace, integrating various styles and materials," she adds.

Alongside meticulously crafted precious metals, Westwood often employed unusual, rustic materials, colors, and shapes, replacing crystals and precious metals with clay, plastic, wood, or papiermache. This underscores her constant questioning of value systems and refusal to conform.

Westwood's jewelry often explores the fantastical, the surreal, and the fairytale, featuring exaggerated proportions, vivid colors, and striking juxtapositions. Those include "snail" jewels inspired by ancient Greek myths, and the Guinevere necklace, which references the medieval legend of King Arthur.

The "Wonderland" section emphasizes how narratives were integral to Westwood's design process rooted in a rich tradition of storytelling through decorative arts. "My clothes have a story," Westwood once said. "They have a character and a purpose."

The "Do It Yourself" section embodies Westwood's ecological ethos. A self-taught designer, DIY was the core in her approach. Drink cans are transformed into chokers, watch parts into bird brooches, and crisp packets into roses. "Beauty can emerge from the ordinary," a guide notes, highlighting how Westwood redefined luxury by elevating everyday materials.

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"Even during the punk years, Westwood incorporated studs, safety pins, pin-up pictures, tins and bits of rubbish, bones, all kinds of things, and applied them to clothes," Kronthaler notes.

This philosophy extends to the exhibition itself, which adheres to "reduce, reuse, recycle" principles, with modular displays repurposed from previous shows, Davidson explains.

As visitors move from 1980s punk to modern, eco-conscious designs, they grasp Westwood's enduring message: Rebellion and heritage are not opposites but allies. "At Westwood, we built a real treasure trove over time," Kronthaler reflects.

From autumn onward, the exhibition will continue its global tour across Asia, the United States, and Europe.

Contact the writer at heqi@chinadaily.com.cn