8.11.2012

SATURDAY SHOW ♥ VIVIENNE WESTWOOD'S BUFFALO GALS ♥

BUFFALO GAL (GIRL) STYLE PART 3
(read part 1 and part 2)

malcolm mclaren and some buffalo gals
So here is where it all began...with one of the very early collections from Vivienne Westwood (in collaboration with her beau Malcolm McLaren) back in Paris in 1982-ish (might have shown in 1981 actually)...if you really look at it, including the makeup and androgyny, it looks very pre-pre-grunge...

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD'S ICONIC BUFFALO GIRL/GAL
(REALLY IT WAS CALLED "THE WORLDS END COLLECTION") 
FALL WINTER 1982/1983 COLLECTION. 
THE SHOW WAS TITLED "NOSTALGIA OF MUD".
I DON'T KNOW...THEY REFERENCE IT IN BOTH WAYS ON OFFICIAL SITES.
VERY CONFUSING. 



“In March 1982, McLaren and Westwood opened a second shop. It was called 'Nostalgia of Mud' and the fascia was covered by a world map. The interior was styled like an archaeological dig. Visitors descended on recycled scaffolding to an earth floor and a heaving ‘mud’ pond surrounded by voodoo-like artifacts.”  See below!
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Nostalgia of Mud shop exterior
Nostalgia of Mud shop interior

From Westwood's site:
Buffalo Girls (Nostalgia of Mud), AW 1982-83
Colours: Mud.
Raw cut sheepskin.
Bras – underwear worn as outerwear. (pre-Madonna.)
Inspiration: Peruvian women wearing bowler hats and full skirts, dancing with their babies tied on their back.






What's interesting is that even though this collection might horrify some of you, this collection was EXTREMELY influential from the tip top to the bottom of the rack. For years after, we saw baggy jackets, overalls, slouchy shoes (her "Sack shoes" were featured in this collection), drabby khaki colors...I remember as a kid how much of these colors were also in fashion, along with all the day-glo neon stuff. I just don't know if this collection really and truly gets the credit it deserves. It was a big statement about the world, indeed. But it also created a style trend that would never really go out of fashion. Ever. The ideas and the pieces just morphed into other things. But the bones always go back to this Worlds End/Nostalgia of Mud/Buffalo Gals collection. 

I love this bra top. I really love it!



Here's a quote from Malcolm McLaren in 1982 about the collection...
“What’s interesting about England right now is that there’s a definite movement to get involved with the Third World: to wear African dress, and put it with a Dominican hat, throw in some Peruvian beads, and wear make-up like some of the tribes in New Guinea – simply because we have to go even further to demonstrate that we want to get out of this island mentality.”
i love this. i don't know why. but i do.
for the image above...
Front: Buffalo outfit by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren
Nostalgia of Mud, A/W 1982
The skirts were inspired by a photograph of dancing Peruvian women. The pattern was taken from a woodblock print on a record cover. 
Wrap skirt: printed cotton, with machine embroidered flowers and knitted trim Underskirt: hand-dyed synthetic wadding 
Hooded top: perforated cotton
Mountain hat: wool
Brassiere: satin and leather

Also important were the shoes. Some of these continue to appear in Westwood's collections. But they also have shown up for years (esp in the 80s and 90s) in different re-incarnations on a very commercial level. Her SACK SHOES especially are important in recent fashion history. Below are images from shoes worn in the Nostalgia of Mud (Buffalo Gals) collection:





Here's an actual invite I found online to the show!



And some footage in the video below from the show...!♡



more buffalo gals posts here

more saturday show ♥ lacroix at desigual

will add credits later as i can't remember them all!

4 comments:

Nick Egan said...

Hi Nancy, Just came across your blog. Dedicated work to spend your time putting things together. If you need any help with certain things I'd be happy to do what I can. I worked with Malcolm from the Bow Wow Wow 'See Jungle' album cover and all covers after as well as Malcolm's Duck Rock and Fan's albums of which I designed both covers. I also designed the invitation you have here and the Nostalgia of Mud logo and the Shop front on St. Christopher's Place. I designed the invitations for, modelled in, art directed and helped Malcolm with the Music for Buffalo Gals, Punkature and Witches in London and Paris. So as you can see I played a big part in all of those collections. As I said if you would like any info don't hesitate in contacting me at njegan@gmail.com

Best wishes

Nick Egan

montronix said...

wow that's so amazing! how cool! i'll email you...thanks for reading! i hope i did it proud. i love this look so much. the buffalo gals.

Unknown said...

You might get some web traffic due to Pharrell's hat at the Grammys 2014. Guardian newspaper posted the link I gave them. Good article too, well done!

montronix said...

thanks, robin...!tho, i haven't been blogging on here for a while. would be great if you could post the link to the guardian story, too. maybe they'll ask me to cover old skool for them in the future.;) cheers.