Vivienne Westwood has teamed with the English shoemaker George Cox to mark the 75th anniversary of the latter’s famous brother creeper, the thick-soled shoe worn by punks, teddy boys and other youthful rebels over the years.
The limited-edition unisex footwear collection, Vivienne Westwood x George Cox, comprises three silhouettes which have been tweaked for a new generation.
It was George Cox, which made the first creeper in 1949, that approached Westwood about rekindling their relationship, and doing an anniversary collaboration. “We had wanted to work with them again for some time, so this was a great opportunity to do this. There is a long history between the two companies,” a Westwood spokesperson said.
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Their connection began in the early 1970s, when Cox brothel creepers first appeared in the Let It Rock shop, the first boutique opened by Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren in 1971 on the King’s Road in Chelsea.
McLaren had bought a pair from Mr Freedom, another London boutique on the King’s Road, “and so they became part of the punk look. We continued to work with George Cox on other styles throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, but we haven’t worked with them since then,” the spokesperson added.
The updated creeprs are a riff on the traditional styles worn by teddy boys, punks and other working class youth subcultures.
“We played with thick crepe soles, brown snakeskin or two-tone black and white leather uppers with double row basketweave interlace details. We added oversize strap, buckle details and our gold branding to the monk shoe style to bring them up to date with our current aesthetic. But they are essentially true to the original, defiant spirit of those who wore them before as a marker of self-expression and belonging,” the spokesperson added.
George Cox said Vivienne Westwood’s imprint on British fashion and subculture “is incomprehensibly vast. To reunite again on a project 50 years on is a testament to that legacy, and to the power to continue inspiring people today, and for aeons to come.”
Prices range from 450 pounds for the derby to 495 pounds for the monk and pointy monk styles. They are being sold through Vivienne Westwood boutiques and on the brand’s website.