Northumbria University research unlocks the secrets of Vivienne Westwood's craft in a major new exhibition

A fashion researcher and educator from Northumbria University has created what is believed to be the first-ever in-depth exploration of Vivienne Westwood’s pattern cutting and construction techniques to be presented in a UK museum, as part of a landmark new exhibition.

Vivienne Westwood: Rebel – Storyteller – Visionary opened on Saturday 28 March at The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle, County Durham, and runs until 6 September. The exhibition celebrates the legacy of the provocative and imaginative British designer, featuring more than 40 ensembles spanning her iconic designs from the early 1980s to the 2000s.

Central to the exhibition is a dedicated section on the cut and construction of Westwood's garments — work which was conceived, researched and produced by Assistant Professor Emma Jane Goldsmith from Northumbria University's Fashion team.  

Working directly with the iconic garments held in the collection of Associate Curator and lifelong Westwood collector Peter Smithson — widely regarded as the finest Westwood collection in the world — Emma Jane took original patterns from each ensemble and, with the support of Technicians from across Northumbria's School of Design, Arts and Creative Industries, created physical calico toiles and card patterns. These are displayed in the exhibition alongside the original garments, allowing visitors to see how each piece was constructed without handling the items themselves.

Going further still, Emma Jane and Senior Technician Gary Pogue produced an animated film, which plays on a loop within the exhibition, to take visitors through each stage of the process: from original look, to three-dimensional render, to flat pattern, and back into the reconstructed garment. The result is a rich, multi-layered insight into the maverick methods that defined Westwood's approach to design — one grounded in the perspective of a fashion practitioner — the focus of Emma Jane's wider research.

The film can be viewed here: https://doi.org/10.25398/rd.northumbria.31915971

The exhibition has been described by Curator of Fashion and Textiles at The Bowes Museum, Rachel Whitworth, as a showcase of Westwood's "fearless experimentation with technique, proportion and historical reference". Emma Jane's contribution sits at the heart of that ambition, giving visitors — whether fashion enthusiasts, students or practitioners — an unprecedented window into the craft behind the collections.

Speaking of her involvement in the exhibition, Emma Jane explained: “To my knowledge, no one has ever communicated the cut and construction of Westwood like this. We are now beginning to see more digital communication of pattern cutting processes in major exhibitions, I believe this is so valuable for extending the knowledge and preservation of garments that are now rare and of historic importance. It has been a multi-faceted project to work on and manage, working within the Design School at Northumbria University enables me to include the support of many of our talented Technicians. Seeing this all come together in such a wonderful exhibition alongside the expertise of Peter, Rachel and all the team at The Bowes Museum is something I am hugely proud of.”

Peter, who has collected Westwood for over 30 years and worked closely with Emma Jane throughout the project, said: "Vivienne's approach to design and construction was as unique as she was. Each look represented a character, scene or moment; every detail had a purpose.

“Working with Emma Jane has brought a new dimension to these garments — her expertise has allowed us to share not just how they look, but how they live, breathe and move as works of construction. It was this multi-faceted approach to Vivienne's design which made Westwood so magical to wear."

The exhibition is arranged in the style of a working atelier, complete with rolls of fabric, pin cushions and tailoring shears, and is displayed chronologically from the mid-1980s to the protest t-shirts of the early 2000s. It also draws on over 80 historic objects from The Bowes Museum's own collection, reflecting Westwood's lifelong engagement with historical dress — including a visit she made to the museum in 2006.

A public events programme accompanies the exhibition, including workshops and talks with Peter Smithson and Emma Jane which are due to take place throughout the summer. More information about visiting the exhibition and the related events is available at thebowesmuseum.org.uk

This academic year marks 70 years of Fashion programmes at Northumbria University with courses that are internationally recognised for producing innovative and industry-ready graduates who benefit from working on live briefs and real world projects during their studies. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk to discover more about studying Fashion at Northumbria.