“I thought Sex And The City was supposed to be about cutting-edge fashion and there was nothing remotely memorable or interesting about what I saw. I went to the premiere and left after ten minutes.” - Vivienne Westwood, to WENN, via IMDB.
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 9:58AM
So this isn't really related but its a good quote. When asked about the relationship between skirt lengths and the economy, Simon Doonan said: "When something truly cataclysmic happens, like 9/11, it increases people's modesty, but ups and downs in the stock market are, like, whatever, Mary." (in the new Radar)
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posted by sarahchivonne
Jun 20, 2008 10:17AM
a little bitchy and unappreciative considering all the publicity she received. i mean, i'm sure 75% of the suburban middle aged housewives had no idea who vivienne westwood was until they saw this movie in their huge droves. for god's sake, she had two women buy that ridiculous wedding dress that was featured in the movie BECAUSE of the movie- a wedding dress that costs thousands upon thousands of dollars and it couldn't even have proportional looking boobs.
to guest 9:43 - yes apparently she is on a whole different "playing field". apparently that field is one where your head is so big that you can't remember that recognition in stuff like satc is how you got to where you are today.
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 11:26AM
I agree with her completely. I was shocked that she would have agreed to have her name used in the film like she did. I always thought she had more integrity than to let herself be branded as a SATC accessory. And I doubt she cares about the middle aged housewives, they're certainly not her target market.
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posted by etoilee8
Jun 20, 2008 11:29AM
Sarah Chivonne that is pretty typical of Westwood. She is world famous for doing this but saying that and to be honest, not making a ton of sense. You should read her biography. Believe me, this sort of commentary is not at all out of the norm. . . but I have to agree with her in some ways. It's a pity that it takes a movie for half of America to know about one of the most brilliant designers of our century. I did a school report for a women's study class about female designers and the class was 90% female and of course everyone claimed to "loooooove fashion and SATC". NONE of them had heard of Vivienne Westwood or knew anything about Donna Karan, Betsy Johnson, etc. . . . I know fashion isn't "life" but at one point, I wanted to grab the girl that always brought every conversation back to SATC and fashion mags, shake her and shout, "do you ACTUALLY read Vogue or do you just look at the flip the pages??!?!"
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posted by etoilee8
Jun 20, 2008 11:54AM
I have to say the entire time I was sitting back watching the film, I kept thinking how much liquor Vivienne Westwood's PR people had to give her in order to get her to agree to such a thing. It seemed really out of character for her and disappointed me a bit.
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posted by Charlotte
Jun 20, 2008 11:56AM
Isn't sh supposed to be kind of a part of the movie. The wedding dress was by her correct? 'She' sent Carrie a note, and I'm pretty sure the fashion show what her stuff too (but i could be wrong). That's kind of disappointing that she didn't like it that much. I know she's a very important designer, but it's still really disappointing. To me, the movie was very, very good and i think if she stayed for all of it she would have enjoyed it, regardless of the lack of cutting edge fashion.
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 12:35PM
For all of Pat Field's rhetoric about not looking to trends for inspiration for the movie, it basically unfolded like a Vogue magazine come to life. The belt trend, the gladiator multi-strap trend, Richard Prince for LV, Blahnik, Chanel, the grecian one shouldered dresses trend. The clothing was appropriate and true to the characters, but there was nothing edgy or progressive - probably because it had to appeal to the general public who wears Juicy Couture and is only familiar with the biggest names with biggest Advertising budgets: LV, Chanel, Blahnik and Dior. Come on, Ms. Field, don't pretend that you are an edgy tastemaker completely oblivious to the current climate of fashion! God would I have loved to see Carrie in some Rick Owens!
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 1:58PM
My guess is that she had seen a couple of episodes and thought the way that fashion was incorperated into the show was alright. You know, bringing MAINmainstream attention to mainstream-to-fashion-people brands, but not being a straight up commercial. The whole movie seemed way more consumerist than the show ever was. Like "I bought you this Louis from Bluefly.com because stylish people shop at bluefly.com.Bluefly.Bluefly.Wear gladiator sandals that weren't even that cute when they were trendy two years ago and people will love you. Bluefly."
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posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 2:47PM
the movie was enjoyable but a lot more commercial in execution than the show. maybe thats why she was surprised. although, i think she should've stayed for the bird on the head monstrosity...she might have liked that hahaha
and SATC did not make her who she is in the design world and I highly doubt that housewives in middle america is her demographic considering she is celebrated for making subversive punk/rock looks cool in the 70s/80s and in my opinion acting as a precursor/inspiration for designers like Alexander McQueen. Also, I dunno if she needs the publicity, she's huge in Asia and quite well-known in Europe. Say Vivienne Westwood in Japan and you hear genius. lol I even read her name in a manga before... I doubt Americans who buy hundreds of thousands of tory burch flats are really her customers.
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posted by guest
Jun 21, 2008 2:08AM
1) I don't think one can ever really take vivienne westwood to heart, especially if it's a soundbite like that.
2) It's still kind of funny, but it hardly matters what she thinks considering box office receipts and all that- I doubt SATC makers would care all that much.
3) Westwood isn't exactly aiming her stuff towards the housewives of America
and
4) sarahchivionne, stuff like SATC is hardly what has made Westwood what she is today. Please. If it was, it'd be a pretty frickin dire day for fashion
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posted by guest
Jun 21, 2008 2:30AM
This makes no sense if she only watched 10 minutes, since the movie was 2.5 hours!
Considering some of her other clothes were in the movie, the wedding dress had a starring role (and she really hand wrote that note to Carrie according to Vogue.com), and some of the ladies were wearing her dresses at the premiers, it just seems crazy that she would make such a statement, because it isn't even credible if she only watched 10 minutes!
So either she's a bit nuts or this quote was fabricated. I only say it's crazy because one should not make such a bold statement like that having only seen 10 minutes, particulary when she is associated with the film in the way Ms. Westwood is. She does, of course, have a right to her opinion, but should probably only have given it if she had watched more of the film.
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posted by guest
Jun 21, 2008 2:46AM
First of all, SATC is not ABOUT cutting-edge fashion, people made it out to be that way. Yes fashion is a part of it but for once I would like to hear someone talk about the story and the issues that it covered concerning women they're age or any age for that matter.
I do admit loving what they wore, and V Westwood shouldn't expect cutting-edge because they are trying to dress like any normal woman out there. I know it's still not your average outfit but at the end of the day, it IS a movie.
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posted by DAgnesCapone
Jun 21, 2008 6:02AM
I don't think she was totally appropriate in making this comment, but there is a whole lot of truth to it. Like I said before, though, the movie wasn't intended to target fashion professionals, or even fashion obsessed lemmings like myself.
People who lead lives that are reminiscent to that of the characters in the SATC story aren't out on a Friday night seeing a movie about it. This movie was made for PTA mothers in Jersey and their girlfriends.
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posted by mclare37
Jun 21, 2008 1:19PM
bravo vivenne! my friend and i went to see the movie because we enjoyed the show. what a HUGE disappointment!! it was awful! full of bad acting, bad clothes and faulty plot lines. it was embarrassing! HBO should've done an hour long special NOT a feature film! snooze!
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posted by guest
Jun 22, 2008 12:28AM
as opposed to what guest (Jun 20, 2008 2:47PM) said, she's not huge in Asia at all. Asia is not just Japan, you know? you're exaggerating her reach.
still, it's an awful statement to make. after all, SATC brought a lot of brand awareness to her clothes, whether or not it's her target audience.
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posted by guest
Apr 24, 2009 2:46PM
Vivienne is an old gasbag and her first rule is to provoke a reaction.She's only doing what comes naturally to her.Having become successful she's attempted to educate herself and fancies she's an intellectual. Have you ever tried to read her Manifesto?(I know fashion desiger with a manifesto!pretentious much?)I gave up after the first paragraph.Stick to dressmaking viv,leave the heavy stuff for true academics.
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posted by guest
Apr 24, 2009 2:47PM
Vivienne is an old gasbag and her first rule is to provoke a reaction.She's only doing what comes naturally to her.Having become successful she's attempted to educate herself and fancies she's an intellectual. Have you ever tried to read her Manifesto?(I know fashion desiger with a manifesto!pretentious much?)I gave up after the first paragraph.Stick to dressmaking viv,leave the heavy stuff for true academics.
posted by guest
Jun 20, 2008 9:43AM
Vivienne is on a whole other playing field though. You couldn't actually expect her to think much of it.