The 'Pirate' collection (1981)

The 'Pirate' collection was Vivienne Westwood's first runway show presented at Olympia in London in March 1981. She is no longer solely interested in youth and street culture but also in tradition and technique.

She begins her technical research into historical dress with this collection, adopting and reinterpreting original cutting principles into her patterns and making them modern.

The collection includes asymmetric tee-shirts, petti-drawers, pirate shirts and breeches in rich brocades and ikat fabric.

The models in the show carry Walkmans and dance to ethnic and rap music. They wear baggy round the ankle flat heel boots, henna ringlets and gold teeth.

The collection is about gold and treasure, adventure and exploration.