十问英国时尚女王Vivienne
爱思英语编者按:英国时尚女王Vivienne Westwood以她放荡不羁的朋克品牌形象在70年代末横空出世,创造性地开创了日后大红大紫的混搭风潮。也是她让英国的服装品牌异军突起,终于成为不啻于意法的欧洲第三时尚地。现在,就让我们通过十个经典问题来了解这位朋克之母的内心世界吧!
10 Questions for Vivienne Westwood
When did you realize that you wanted to be in the fashion industry?
你是从何时开始意识到你想要进入时尚界发展的?
Laura Buendia, REEDLEY, CALIF.
I didn't want to be a fashion designer, and for a good half of my career I didn't like it. I always wanted to do other things. I always wanted to read and do intellectual things. I started to do it to help my [then] partner Malcolm McLaren, because I could always make things. It was only about 15 years ago that my husband, whom I work with now and who designs as much as I do, said to me, "You have to like it. Otherwise, you wouldn't be doing it."
我从来不想成为一个时装设计师,在我职业生涯的一半时间里我都觉得自己不喜欢这个工作。我一直想做更有意义的事,像是阅读什么的。我一开始帮助我的合作人Malcolm McLaren是因为我觉得我可以创造一些东西。直到15年前,我的丈夫对我说:你肯定是喜欢这个行业的,不然你不会做这么久。
What is the greatest fashion faux pas?
在时尚界,最丢脸的事是什么?
Andrew Y.H. Sun, LOS ANGELES
It's to be a follower of fashion. If you wear clothes that don't suit you, you're a fashion victim. You have to wear clothes that make you look better.
那应该是“做一个时尚的跟风者”。如果你穿了不适合自己的衣服,那你就只是个时尚的奴隶。你必须要选择那些让你看起来更美的衣服。
How do you address the issue that in today's society so many clothes are tailored to fit women who wear a size zero and not a size 12?
你怎么看待当今社会中大部分的衣服都是为瘦女人设计的,而胖姑娘却买不到衣服穿?
Lei Lani De Santiago, AUSTIN, TEXAS
If you're too big to fit into fashion, then you just have to do your own fashion.
如果对于时尚来说,你太胖,你就必须创造一套自己的流行风格。
Have you ever had to forfeit any of your design ideals to stay in business?
你是否曾经为了销售额而让自己的设计妥协?
Lea Fast, VIENNA
I'm very lucky, and I haven't. I own my own company, so I've never had businessmen telling me what to do or getting worried if something doesn't sell. I've always had my own access to the public, because I started off making my clothes for a little shop and so I've always had people buying them. I could always sell a few, even if I couldn't sell a lot, and somehow my business grew because people happened to like it. I'm in a fortunate position.
很幸运的是,我没有。因为自己开公司,所以我从不需要听那个生意人来告诉我哪些衣服卖不掉(所以不准设计)。我有我自己亲近大众的方式。我一开始为一家小店设计服装,总是有人来买的。哪怕只能卖出一部分,而不是全部。人们喜欢我的衣服,所以我的生意也开始成长。我想我是一个幸运儿吧!
Do you think you will ever collaborate with a fast-fashion company, or will your fashion remain a luxury?
你有没有想过和一个大众流行品牌合作,还是你希望你的服装保持奢侈品的定位?
Shane Tan, SINGAPORE
The time is gone. At one time I would have been prepared to do that, but my business has grown too big now, and it's a full-time job. In fact, I would like to do less work than I do at the moment. Anyway, I always try to make my clothes affordable, and they actually are affordable. I've got this shop, World's End, that has incredibly good prices.
那个时机已经过了。曾记我有机会涉足那个行业,但我的企业成长太快,对我而言已经变成一份全职工作。我其实宁愿做比现在少一点的工作。但无论如何,我一直试着把我的服装保持在合理的价位,人们也的确买得起我的衣服。我有一间叫“世界尽头”的店,那里出售的衣服都非常便宜。
What is the biggest issue that fashion faces today?
时装行业目前面临的最大问题是什么?
Mauricio Tortosa, NEW YORK CITY
I just think people buy too many clothes, whether they love fashion or whether they just want 12 T shirts, all different colors, and 12 pairs of jeans all the same. People look a mess because they're buying too many clothes; they're not thinking. If you do buy something new, if you've got the money to afford it, then buy a beautiful piece.
我只是觉得人们买了太多衣服了。不管他们是真的热爱时尚,还是他们只是想要12件相同款式、不同颜色的T恤、或是12条一模一样的牛仔裤。人们如果只是买很多衣服而不思考,他们会看来一团糟。如果你真心想买、也负担得起新单品,那至少买一件好看的!