Vivienne Westwood
EVENT
From Punk to Couture
What exudes a genuine punk aesthetic? Back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, in London and parts of the U.S., like New York and California, punk emerged as a subculture - a lifestyle where the youth represented their beliefs through rebelliousness and anarchistic tendencies.
These iconoclastic groupings often showed their angst against society, anti-establishment and all things materialistic, through music and DYI style.
The wave of punk included musical influencers like The Ramones and The Clash, as well Los Angeles own Venice bred Suicidal Tendencies and the CBGB club in New York. From leather pinned get ups, to studded leather moto jackets, plaid printed pants and thrashed tees, punk honed in on confrontation and exploring the nature of expression.
Photo Gallery
Met Gala 2013
Punk: Chaos to Couture” requested that MET Gala attendees transition from punk to couture.
So when it came to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute exhibit, this year’s theme, “Punk: Chaos to Couture” requested that MET Gala attendees transition from punk to couture?
The exhibit itself procured a sense of authenticity but for the annual affair, it was interesting to see how some of the most affluent and influential tastemakers in the fashion industry pulled off a high-end punk look.
The ‘play on punk’ took spiked hair to new heights and borrowed punk's visual satorial musings such as studs, heavy prints, lace, texture, draping and cut outs, some of which took an eloquent touch on the punk theme.
While some gowns were more decorative than needed with ornate beading or embellished accessories, and others missed the mark with ethereal offerings, there were some impressionable looks that were given nods of approval.
Vivienne Westwood showed-up pretty punk. The designer, who is 72-year-old, wore a picture of Bradley Manning with the word Truth written across it.
She told New York magazine, The Cut, “When I did punk all those years ago, [it was about the same thing]: Justice and [trying to] have a better world. I've got different methods nowadays.”
Perhaps it was more about what was said, than what was worn that evoked that punk spirit and edge (even those undisclosed conversations).
Here's Village Voice writer Michael Musto's thoughts about the evening.
