Vivienne Westwood,
Front and back panels of silk, printed front, zippered back, powermesh side panels, label with gold thread "Vivienne Westwood LONDON 12", height approximately 45 cm, bust approximately 77 cm, waist approximately 57 cm
Surface dirt.
Purchased in 2000 at the Worlds End store in London
Text from Kerry Taylor Auctions:
"Cycling to work one morning, Vivienne found a child's 'Care Bear' burst balloon lying on the ground. The illustration caught her eye, and she arrived in the office clutching the balloon announcing: 'look at this! Let's use this bear'. When her amused staff informed her: 'but Vivienne- that's a Care Bear!' she replied: 'What's a Care Bear?'. The cuddly children's toy was enormously popular in England and internationally during the 1980s and 1990s. Concerned about the possibility of getting into trouble for copyright infringement, the staff advised that they couldn't use the bear, to which Vivienne- still clutching her deflated balloon- replied: 'Well I'm going to'. And she did.
Each official Care Bear features a unique symbol on their stomach relating to their personality. Vivienne's iteration of the bear lacks this detail- perhaps this was purely an aesthetic decision- or perhaps it was a rather legally shrewd adaptation by one of her team..."
Link to text: https://www.kerrytaylorauctions.com/auction/lot/490-a-vivienne-westwood-care-bear-pale-pink-satin-corset-2000/?lot=33423&sd=1