We examine the two-piece suit which unites Alicia Florrick-esque power-dressing with Westwood's irrepressible punk aesthetic
McBrick Tuck Mini Skirt and New Bag Jacket
100% virgin wool, partly lined
Vivienne Westwood's ability to modernise storied codes of dress is unparalleled within fashion design – and it was during her A/W93 Anglomania collection that she first championed the reinvention of traditional tartans as one of her signatures; dressing supermodels from Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington to Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss in the fabric. This particular print, the McBrick tartan, first appeared as part of A/W97's offering but, 20 years later, it still endures with remarkable allure; here, as part of a tailored two-piece whose skirt is permanently hitched up at the back, it appears an off-kilter version of a Cher Horowitz fantasy.
While co-ordinated womenswear suiting is often rife with Thatcherite connotations, here it is perfectly punk, all nipped waist and skin-tight. If you have ever seen The Good Wife, you will be fully aware of the power that a slightly seductive two-piece can wield – even more so when it is imbued with the subversion of this singular brand's tailoring techniques. Alicia Florrick's composure meets Westwood's punk aesthetic, and Scottish Highland traditions unite with London subculture. What more could you want from an outfit?
