The Tamesis
Shalom. Eva Yasmin. Naomi. Synonyms for Kate. this Supermodels star in Vivienne Westwood’s elegant, slender handwriting, emblazoning the sequence from her Vive La Bagatelle Spring 2007 show onto feather-light shirts. For Fall 2026, the Vivienne Westwood team looks back at the late Dame’s most stunning collections to create a cross-generational portrait of contemporary figures.
It all started with a patchwork of her Anglophile and five-century-old collections: embellished tartan appeared on taffeta gowns, high-waisted jackets and sexy two-pieces. Checked safari breeches tied with a studded belt were inspired by fairground workers who would decorate their pants with their girlfriends’ names.
Next came Westwood’s sensual feminine style of the mid-’90s: Georgian bow-embellished bodices, gauzy polka-dot dresses, heart-shaped belts, sporty mini-dresses and jackets with Renaissance cherub prints. The deep Peter Pan collar skirt suit is inspired by the mysterious working woman protagonist of Édouard Manet’s last major work, the 1882 painting Bars in Folies-Bergère. This is a true Canterbury ragtag group whose cobbled compositions remain light and free.
Accessories are where the punk spirit lives on, with sexy crackled leather three-strap pumps, a “Bastard” chain and “Drunk” asymmetrical lace-up python print sneakers. Riding whips were affixed to handbags and shoulder bags, and the British yeoman watchman’s hat was adorned with a furry bucket bag. A sweet robin-shaped coin purse is the collection’s ode to the late designer. Denim also stayed cheeky, including distressed jackets and washed laser jeans with prints inspired by papal robes and very nice zippered legs. As always, there’s a nod to sustainability and innovative materials; the wool comes from Scotland’s traditional tartan maker Lochcarron, while the jewelery is primarily made from recycled brass.
Both menswear and womenswear were infused with a familiar fetishistic undertone, with details taken from Andreas Kronthaler’s unusually well-behaved look at the recent Vivienne Westwood show: stockings peeked out from a sparkly trench coat, while business trouser suits were cut to the hips.
The team said in a preview that customers continue to come to the brand looking for Westwoodian-style modern tailoring, so there are pants with removable built-in corsets and others with boxer short tops. Erotic, whatever you like.
