Encounter Vivienne Westwood in Tokyo: Omotesando Aoyama Fashion Shopping

British designer brand Vivienne Westwood is a favorite among fashion enthusiasts, and the Aoyama store in Tokyo's Omotesando area is a must-visit for many Vivienne Westwood fans when in Tokyo.

Vivienne Westwood: The Eternal Punk Priestess, A Presence Beyond Fashion

Known as the 'Punk Priestess' and 'Westwood Empress,' British designer Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) was one of the iconic figures of British fashion. From a young age, she loved handmade design, but due to practical circumstances, she became a primary school teacher. However, she never gave up her interest in fashion design, and finally, after meeting Malcolm McLaren, the manager of the classic British punk rock band 'Sex Pistols,' she was able to showcase her talents and sparked the punk fashion trend. Her punk fashion boutique in London became a pilgrimage site for the punk rock movement.

Safety pins, straps, chains, tears... her designs were bold, avant-garde, sometimes rebellious and controversial, yet they skillfully merged with traditional British design elements like tartan and the Union Jack, creating a unique style. Moreover, Vivienne Westwood actively engaged with social public issues and used fashion design as a medium to voice her opinions, elevating fashion beyond itself into an attitude and spiritual symbol. While receiving accolades from the British royal family, she also gained a massive fan base worldwide.

*Note: Window displays change seasonally.*

Vivienne Westwood has stores in many countries, and each store reflects local characteristics. In Japan, the Aoyama store, located in the designer brand hub of Omotesando, Tokyo, is one of the classic locations.

The two-and-a-half-story store space in a small alley has a slightly gallery-like atmosphere, showcasing a rich and comprehensive range of Vivienne Westwood fashion items, including the latest season's new arrivals, classic popular styles of clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories. You can also find Japan-exclusive special products. For the fall/winter 2023 collection, Vivienne Westwood's designs are centered around the concept 'Closets filled with vintage furs and quilted throws,' introducing a series of designs inspired by elements of vintage home textiles from around the world.

This time, we follow Tokyo's popular internet celebrity 'Little Cat' to the Vivienne Westwood Aoyama store to see what great buys are recommended.

Little Cat's CHOICE: Classic Vintage Tartan Suit Set

Scottish tartan and women's suits are classic elements in Vivienne Westwood's works. This fall/winter, Vivienne Westwood has launched a new suit set that Little Cat particularly likes.

The goose-yellow base vintage padded-shoulder suit jacket, paired with a matching British-style skirt, black extra-thick long leather boots, and a black Betty bag—this vintage rock look combines handsomeness with sexy sweetness. This vintage tartan suit set is also available in black and gray, offering different charms from the bright and soft goose-yellow.

Little Cat's CHOICE: Hand-Dyed Bunny Knitwear Series

As 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, rabbit elements have become very popular. Vivienne Westwood's bunny knitwear is playful and full of childlike fun. Since they are hand-dyed, each piece has a unique color pattern, making every item one of a kind.

This knitwear series includes jacket and top styles. Little Cat chose a relatively short knit top paired with a Scottish skirt, black vintage thick-soled ballet flats, and a gold choker, perfectly embodying the image of a playful beauty.

PICK UP! Vivienne Westwood's Classic Platform Soles

(Image source: Vivienne Westwood Tokyo)

Although humans have a long history of wearing platform shoes, it was Vivienne Westwood who brought them to the fashion runway. Her most iconic work is arguably the leather platform high heels 'Super Elevated Gillie,' which famously caused supermodel Naomi Campbell to fall.

Her platform shoe collection is diverse, with the Rocking Horse Shoes being a classic that remains popular to this day. These shoes come in various styles, with soles made from natural wood, each having a slightly different color and wood grain, subtle, exquisite, and unique.

PICK UP! Vivienne Westwood's ORB Little Planet

In Little Cat's first two outfits, you may have noticed that both the Betty bag and the buttons on the knit cardigan feature a logo resembling a small Saturn with a crown—this is Vivienne Westwood's classic logo 'ORB.' The orb with a cross at its center represents 'tradition,' while the surrounding ring like a satellite symbolizes 'the future,' perfectly interpreting Vivienne Westwood's design philosophy.

The ORB design element is cleverly applied to various brand products, presenting completely different styles. For example, in the above series of shoe and bag designs featuring European embroidered floral fabrics, the embroidered ORB pattern is added, bringing a fresh twist to the vintage look.

When the same ORB is placed on a street-style hoodie with a splash effect, it conveys a somewhat rebellious and avant-garde style.

And when the ORB is reduced to a small accessory, it becomes simple, cute, and somewhat understated. At first glance, it looks cute, but only those who know Vivienne Westwood understand the meaning behind the earring or necklace pendant.

Classic and Timeless! ORB Small Badge Wallet and Bag Series

Vivienne Westwood's wallet and bag lines have always been very popular. Whether in plain colors or Scottish tartan, paired with metal ORB badges, they look delicate and cute. They offer both long and short wallets with a wide variety of styles.

This series of plain velvet bag styles is personally my favorite. The red, black, and green velvet is vintage and classic, with exquisite embroidered ORB patterns that are super cute. The coin purse style, in particular, is very tempting, and it's hard to choose (difficult to pick among the three colors).

This series includes not only small wallets but also coin purses that can be worn as shoulder bags! And... you must see the adorable chain-strap coin purse in person!

Japan Exclusive KISS ME KITTY Series

At the Vivienne Westwood Aoyama store, you can find the Japan-exclusive KISS ME KITTY series, specially designed for Japan. Featuring cats and ORB made from red lipstick kisses and hand-drawn illustrations, along with lyrics from Elvis Presley's 'TREAT ME NICE' handwritten by Vivienne Westwood, the designs are playful, cute, and somewhat sexy, speaking volumes.

Additionally, this season's new fall/winter hats are also very cute, especially the lilac beret and small bucket hat, including a rare lilac color that looks particularly youthful and energetic when worn.

Encounter the Punk Priestess in Omotesando Aoyama

In 2022, Vivienne Westwood passed away, but her designs and her story will forever inspire generations around the world. Whether you are a fan of Vivienne Westwood, a fashion design enthusiast, or a creator with dreams, when you visit Omotesando in Tokyo, be sure to stop by the Vivienne Westwood Aoyama store. Take advantage of the weak yen and tax-free benefits to purchase your favorite items, or simply come to see the various fashion designs of this Punk Priestess, seeking some creative inspiration and life motivation. Come here and take away what you want.

Vivienne Westwood Aoyama Store (Vivienne Westwood Aoyama Store)

Address: 5-49-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Business Hours: 11:00 - 20:00

Public Transport: About 3 minutes on foot from Exit B2 of Omotesando Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line.