RETURNING to the streets for a collaboration rooted in subversion, Vivienne Westwood has teamed up with British skate brand, Palace.
Merging their respective codes with a natural bit of tongue-and-cheek humour, the coming together of these two sees a capsule featuring both men and womenswear (a first for Palace) across ready-to-wear, accessories, jewellery and skateboards.
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Referencing Westwood’s previous collections and reworking them with Palace’s modern lens, the Salon print from spring-summer 1992 is remade into a Gore-Tex jacket, trousers and skirt, whilst the classic corset is updated with founder Lev Tanju’s dog printed on the front. Naturally, the logos have collided and the orb encases the Palace penrose triangle finding itself weaved into a logomania pattern on a two-piece denim set, mini skirt and flight suit.
Accessories arrive big and bold. Lifting Westwood’s famed teddy bear motif from the 90s and producing oversized teddy backpacks and clip-on keyrings. Horns return to beanies, tartan berets are given a Gore-tex update, and trucker hats become statement pieces.
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Palace Vivienne Westwood
“Collaborating with Vivienne Westwood, it’s a massive thing for us: we love them, and we always have,” said Lev Tanju, Palace co-founder. “To bring this collection to life was a dream come true and we wanted to shoot the collection in London, our shared home. Palace is independent, Vivienne Westwood is independent, and we admire independence”.
Ensuring that skate culture remained an integral part of the coming together of these two London behemoths, the collection features a skateboard and is modelled by their close-contemporaries. Featuring the likes of Palace skater Lucien Clarke, activist Sibyl Buck and DJ Josh Caffé, and lensed by Shoichi Aoki across London’s landmarks, from Soho street corners to vintage shops in Camden.
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Palace Vivienne Westwood
Speaking on the collaboration, creative director, Andreas Kronthaler stated: “From the first day I went to Palace years ago, I liked what they are doing. Their designs are made with quality, they are accessible and democratic. It felt natural for us to join forces, it was a very playful exercise, and it was a pleasure working with the team and making new friends”.
Palace Vivienne Westwood launches at 11am BST on Friday 6 September 2024.
by Imogen Clark