I wish you didn't have to design so often. Try to do quality and cut down on quantity. I think fashion is very, very important.
In Italy they take cheap cloth and make it look expensive, but I take expensive cloth and make it look cheap. They just don't understand.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes how perception of value and style can be manipulated through creativity and presentation.
Vivienne Westwood contrasts the approach of Italian fashion, which is known for transforming inexpensive materials into high-end fashion items, with her own philosophy of using luxurious materials but presenting them in a way that minimizes their perceived value. This highlights the idea that fashion is not solely about the cost of materials but also about the creativity and context in which they are used, suggesting that true style transcends traditional notions of luxury.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a fashion lecture discussing the importance of creativity over material cost.
More from Vivienne Westwood
All quotes βI just use fashion as an excuse to talk about politics. Because I'm a fashion designer, it gives me a voice, which is really good.
The fight is no longer between the classes or between rich and poor but between the idiots and the eco-conscious.
Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes.
Instead of buying six things, buy one thing that you really like. Don't keep buying just for the sake of it.
I think it is a good thing to buy less and choose well - it's good for the environment and to be fair it's also good for me because my clothes are quite expensive.
Similar quotes
Elegance does not consist in putting on a new dress.
It pains me physically to see a woman victimized, rendered pathetic, by fashion.
It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory of fashion that heralds your arrival and prolongs your departure.
My relationship with fashion has always been that each of us stars in our own movies and costumes ourselves to play the part we want. You take blouses and jeans and dresses, and you put them together, and they tell your story.
All it takes are a few simple outfits. And there's one secret - The Simpler The Better
The fashion industry has done itself in by neglecting the 60- to 80-year-old market. They have the time and the economic resources. They want to go shopping.