Bonded by their disruptive spirits – and, of course, their British roots – Palace and Vivienne Westwood have launched their first collaborative collection. Consisting of clothing, accessories, jewelry and skateboards, the range rests on each player's distinctive house codes throughout history, and comes presented in a captivating lookbook shot by Shoichi Aoki, the founder of Japanese street style magazine FRUITS.
The legacy of both brands heavily informs the presentation, with Vivienne Westwood's Spring/Summer 1992 "Salon" print revived on GORE-TEX jacket, track pants and skirt. Vivienne Westwood's early appears elsewhere on the accessory front, with the label's early 1990s iconography informing the oversized teddy bear bags.
The release also signals the first womenswear drop for Palace, with a repurposed take on the Vivienne Westwood classic corset serving as a standout piece; crafted from black and white satin, the timeless piece features a print of Palace founder, Lev Tanju’s dog Stuart.
"From the first day I went to Palace years ago, I liked what they were doing," said Vivienne Westwood's Creative Director Andreas Kronthaler. "Their designs are made with quality, they are accessible and democratic. It felt natural for us to join forces, it was a very playful exercise and it was a pleasure working with the team and making new friends."
New friends – included in the lookbook – span US rappers Sematary and Matt OX as well as Sibyl Buck, Ed Teller and Issa Lish, Palace rider Lucien Clarke and DJ/ singer Josh Café to name just a few.
Palace Co-Founders, Tanju and Gareth Skewis, echoed Kronthaler's sentiment. "We love them, and we always have. To bring this collection to life was a dream come true and we wanted to shoot the collection in London, our shared home. Palace is independent, Vivienne Westwood is independent, and we admire independence," said Tanju.
"Vivienne Westwood has long been a massive inspiration to me, particularly through the brand’s ever-evolving creative output," added Skewis. "We are immensely proud to have collaborated with such an iconic British brand. This collection is a true reflection of our shared values and influences, bringing together two distinct perspectives united by a common ground of independent thought, all with a uniquely London twist.”
Explore the lively Palace x Vivienne Westbook lookbook in the gallery above and find the full release info listed below.
Friday 6th September:
UK in-store and online – 11 a.m. BST
EU online and in-store – 12 p.m. CEST
US Vivienne Westwood online – 11 a.m. ET
NY Vivienne Westwood in-store – 11 a.m. ET
LA Vivienne Westwood in-store – 11 a.m. PT
Saturday 7th September:
Japan, Tokyo, Ginza in-store and online – 11 a.m. JST
Korea in-store and online – 11 a.m. KST
China Palace Wechat – 11 a.m. CST
Hong Kong in-store and online – 11 a.m. HKT
Singapore in-store and online – 11.00 a.m. SGT
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
