Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist
Directed by Lorna Tucker
In cinemas
In the 1970s, punks astounded Britain with their T-shirts worn inside out and torn clothes with safety pins.
Vivienne Westwood was the person responsible for most of that look. Not only did she tear clothing apart, she lived a similar life.
Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist is a raw, unpredictable and unapologetic documentary about the punk icon and fashion designer.
Watching it was a whirlwind. At times I was smiling, others I felt frustration.
I found it trying at times how little information the film actually shared. It was more like experiencing a scattered journaling than a documentary of a life.
It is all over the place and the narrative jumped around a bit so it was hard to get a chronological understanding of her life and the history of her label. At the end, you are left asking: “What just happened?”
That style may have been intentional, mirroring the wild and unpredictable nature of the icon herself. Westwood is quite the symbol of punk and the film definitely did a wonderful job of featuring her in a raw, witty and honest way.
Watch it if you are interested in Westwood, the punk movement or the fashion industry.