Vivienne Westwood & Roksanda create pieces to commemorate WW1

Designers including Vivienne Westwood, Roksanda Ilincic and J JS Lee are creating contemporary pieces inspired by "the profound impact" World War 1 (WW1) had on women's dress for a forthcoming exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery.

Fashion & Freedom will run at the gallery from  13 May - 26 November 2016 and will feature the new designs alongside genuine pieces from the era. The exhibits are designed to show how women's roles and their dress changed dramatically during the war. With men away fighting more than one million women went out to work, a move which marked the demise of restricting clothing, such as corsets, in favour or more fluid, flowing designs.

The exhibition has been co-commissioned by 14-18 Now: WW1 Centenary Art Commissions and is supported by the British Fashion Council. Alongside the exhibits will be specially commissioned short films including some created by photographer Nick Knight's SHOWstudio. In addition Luke Snellin has written and directed first, which reimagines a young woman’s first day at work as a bus conductor, with uniforms designed by Manchester fashion label Private White VC (see below).

https://vimeo.com/152156843

Fashion & Freedom will also showcases the next generation of fashion talent through contributions from students at five British fashion colleges, including Manchester School of Art and the London College of Fashion, working to the WW1-influenced theme of "Restriction and Release".