Bondage trousers
(c. 1977)
Medium
cotton, wool, metal and nylon (fastenings)
Measurements
96.0 cm (outer leg) 41.0 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, 2025
Gallery location
Not on display
About this work
During the Seditionaries era, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s clothing expressed anti-establishment values, drawing on bondage, sexual fetishism, and incorporating ‘do-it-yourself’ details such as safety pins, chains and knotted or torn finishes. Born in England in 1941, Westwood studied at Harrow School of Art and the University of Westminster before training as a teacher. In 1965 she became involved with McLaren, and together they ran the boutique Let it Rock at 430 Kings Road, London from 1971. Over the next decade, Westwood developed an aesthetic informed by fashion history, street culture and punk, later exploring menswear and British country dress. After McLaren left the partnership in 1983, Westwood continued to present collections under her own name, achieving international acclaim.
Artwork Details
Place/s of Execution
England
Inscription
label, centre back waistline, printed in black ink of synthetic fabric: MALCOM MCLAREN / VIVIENNE WESTWOOD / SEDTIONARIES / PERSONAL COLLECTION
Accession Number
2025.748
Department
International Fashion and Textiles