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Vivienne Westwood comes back to her fashion roots

Helen Tither
3/11/2008

SHE'S the queen of shock fashion - and no doubt Dame Vivienne Westwood has managed to stir things up among the London-centric style elite with her latest venture, choosing to open her first UK Anglomania store right here in Manchester.

It's a move back to her roots for the Glossop-born former school teacher, who already has one store stocking her full range at King Street, and a coup for the city to get the first store of its kind in the country.

Set to open this week, with an exclusive VIP showing for special customers, the store may well ruffle a few feathers down south. But Dame Viv, 67, obviously sees the potential of another shop in the city she grew up so close to.

"I love Manchester and I think our existing King Street Store is a fantastic showcase for my designs," she says. "The new Anglomania store will give our existing and new customers an exciting shopping experience and also the chance to purchase some exclusive pieces and pre-collections that haven't been seen before in the other stores."

Compared to Westwood's other collections - Gold Label and Red Label - the Anglomania range is seen as a much funkier, more street-orientated line, with slightly more avant garde styling for an edgier, more youthful market.

With recent developments such as the Manchester In Fashion catwalk event, and more and more of our home-grown designers making it on a national stage, the city's reputation as an alternative to the London fashion scene is growing ever stronger.

With designer investment like this only set to improve our image still further.

As our exclusive pre-launch photoshoot, shot on location in Manchester's Northern Quarter, shows, the range certainly has all the key elements of the Westwood look - with the classic tailoring and figure-enhancing design she is so well-loved for - but mixes some of her traditional fabrics, such as tartan or tweed, with edgier colours and patterns.

Not to forget the prices, with shoes starting at £69, which should help fans of the fashion first lady's style get her look for less. Take a peek at our shoot to see what you can expect from her latest autumn/winter collection.

Clothes: From the new Vivienne Westwood Anglomania store, 64 Bridge Street, Manchester, Tel: 0161 835 2228 or visit hervia.com

Models: Alexia Rochford and Jess Stebbings from Boss Model Management (0161 834 3403)

Make-up: Tanya Jackson from Space NK, St Ann's Place (0161 832 9382)

Hair: Macy and Mai at Trevor Sorbie, 19 Spring Gardens, Manchester (0161 839 2255)

Styling: Zoe Vaughan Davies

Location: Thanks to the Soup Kitchen and Cord in the Northern Quarter.

Pictures: Emma Williams