Item 2019.89 - Vivienne Westwood Leather Armour Jacket

Black leather jacket with removable, panelled sleeves that attach at the shoulders via buckles and leather straps. The cut and design of the jacket take inspiration from metal armour. The main body fastens at the centre front with four worn black metal press studs and features four pockets—two on each side. The lower pockets have flaps, while the upper pockets are welted.

The sleeves are constructed in multiple parts, with a shaped elbow piece connecting the upper and lower arm sections. The inside of the elbow has a curved cut-out, covered by a folded circular patch. The sleeves attach to a shaped shoulder piece, which is buckled to the body of the jacket at the shoulder neckline.
Country of Design: England.

Invisible Men exhibition label:

LEATHER ARMOUR JACKET
Vivienne Westwood
1988

Rather than plunder the recent past, Westwood consistently looks further back into dress history for inspiration. From her aptly named Time Machine collection this black leather jacket references plate armour in its cut and construction, with detachable sleeves and segmented shoulder panels attached to the jacket by leather straps.

Leather
Archive no. 2019.89

From Inside the Westminster Menswear Archive:

LEATHER ARMOUR JACKET
Vivienne Westwood
Autumn Winter 1988
Rather than plunder the recent past, Vivienne Westwood consistently looked further back into fashion history for inspiration. This black leather jacket, from her aptly named ‘Time Machine’ collection, references both traditional biker vests, and the cut and construction of plate armour, with detachable sleeves and segmented shoulder panels attached to the jacket by leather straps. The upper sleeve is cut in the shape of a pauldron, a plate armour component that covers the shoulder area, while the sleeve is cut to resemble a vambrace, or forearm guard, and the elbow is cut to imitate a couter, which is an articulated joint in plate armour.
Leather
Archive no. 2019.89