After Keith Haring , Vivienne Westwood

Keith Haring, Vivienne Westwood, and Malcolm McLaren collaboration for the 1983 'Witches' collection.

• After Keith Haring (American, 1958-1990).
• Released as part of the Vivienne Westwood collection AW1983.
• Silkscreen design on cotton fabric, originally part of a women's top (design has been cut out from top and is now a flat piece of fabric).

A rare, museum worthy art fashion piece published on occasion of the AW1983 Vivienne Westwood & Malcolm McLaren 'Witches' collection featuring printed artwork by Keith Haring. Related pieces from this collection were modeled by Madonna in 1983 & worn in her ‘Borderline’ video; and are featured as part of The Costume Institute: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

This unique Keith Haring, Vivienne Westwood collaboration stands as a historic moment in fashion, signifying the last collaborative endeavor between Westwood and McLaren.

The collection was born after a transformative trip to America, where they encountered Haring, who lent his iconic designs to several pieces. His fluorescent, public art-inspired motifs seamlessly merged with high fashion, while his symbols and characters, rich with social and political commentary, provided a bold visual language that perfectly aligned with Westwood and McLaren's rebellious punk ethos.

"I went to America to talk to Keith Haring and get some of his art, using it with fluorescent and dark backgrounds with hieroglyphics...space-invader type images. His work was like a magical esoteric sign language" - Vivienne Westwood

Haring immediately felt connected to the thriving alternative arts scene happening downtown in the late 1970s and became friends with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kenny Scharf after enrolling in the School of Visual Arts (SVA).

Haring’s first major works were his subway drawings. Haring produced a large number of these public works between 1980 and 1985, integrating his motifs outlined figures into everyday public space in a way that directly engaged its viewers.

Haring's 1st solo exhibition was held at Westbeth Painters Space in 1981 and a celebrated show debuted at the historic Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York the following year.

Throughout the 1980s, Haring was committed to democratizing the art experience and along with paintings, he also created theater sets, billboards, murals, advertising campaigns and even a line of Swatch watches. In 1986 he opened the Pop Shop in SoHo, selling apparel, posters and toys bearing his drawings. This was a controversial move, as many galleries criticized Haring for “de-valuing” the art object while others, such as Andy Warhol, championed Haring’s insistence on making art accessible and affordable. Pop Shop was highly influential to contemporary crossovers of art and merchandise that are now so dominant, as in the work of Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, KAWS and Takashi Murakami.

In addition to this ideology of accessibility, Haring was also very socially engaged and used his striking imagery to promote awareness of various political and social campaigns. His many notable public works included a mural on the western side of the Berlin Wall, the Crack is Wack mural in New York, and a mural for the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Haring was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988 and used his presence in the arts community to raise awareness of the crisis.

In 1989, a year before his death, he established the Keith Haring Foundation, whose mission is to raise funds for AIDS organizations and children’s literacy and arts programs.

Since his death in 1990, Haring has become one of the most widely-recognized and celebrated artists of the 20th century.

Gifted by the artist to Maripol; obtained from the former. 

A companion piece from this collection is featured within the Met Museum’s Costume Institute.

‘Rock Paper Scissors’ by Sarah Aaronson features an extensive history.

‘Vivienne Westwood's most iconic collections’ by Kettj Talon (features photos of Madonna wearing a similar design).

Vivienne Westwood, Clare Wilcox, p. 69 (related example illustrated).