Dress
1990 {Portrait collection, autumn-winter 1990–91}
Medium
polyester (velvet), foil, nylon (fastenings)
Measurements
137.5 cm (centre back) 28.5 cm (waist, flat)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gift Program, 2024
Gallery location
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Ground Level, NGV International
About this work
In preparation for the Portrait collection, Westwood visited London art museum the Wallace Collection, where she was captivated by the ornate casing and gold detailing of a framed mirror by French cabinet-maker André-Charles Boulle. She adapted these elaborate patterns for her designs, incorporating her iconic Orb logo and naming the print ‘Boulle’. First appearing in Portrait, the print was subsequently used across her 1990s collections on dresses, corsets, leggings, bodysuits and jackets in multiple colour variations.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
England
Inscription
label, left back neckline, woven in red on pink acetate: Vivienne / Westwood / MADE IN ENGLAND
Accession Number
2024.1068
Department
International Fashion and Textiles