DIY Credit Crunch Fashion Edit
Dame Vivienne Westwood S/S 2009

Veteran British designer Dame Vivienne Westwood launched her Gold label Spring/Summer 2009 collection with a DIY theme. Her clothes offer inspiration to those who wish to make fashion statements on limited budgets. She said, “Make necklaces out of safety pins, shawls from blankets, tablecloths, curtains, or towels!”

The models displayed clothes that were made up of oddments of fabrics barely held together by safety pins. Sometimes strips of fabric were simply draped or tied around the body. A scrap of leopard print was draped over a shoulder. Another model sported a cape made up of what looked like food sacks!

Westwood also said, “There is status in wearing your favorites over and over again until they grow old or fall apart.” Indeed, some of her other designs do really look like they are falling apart, like the black trench coat.

Perhaps Dame Westwood could also have suggested sewing lessons to mend and make one’s own clothes!