V&A
Metal Spring Braces with Tan Leather Sleeves
1980s · 1980s · British
Designer
Vivienne Westwood
Production
ready-to-wear
Material
metal with leather
Culture
British
Movement
Punk · New Romanticism · Power Dressing
Influences
industrial workwear · punk hardware aesthetic
These metal spring braces feature coiled steel mechanisms housed within tan leather sleeves, creating an industrial aesthetic typical of 1980s alternative fashion. The springs provide adjustable tension while the leather covering softens the harsh metallic elements against the body. Metal clips at each end attach to trouser waistbands. The construction combines functional engineering with fashion-forward design, transforming utilitarian suspenders into a statement accessory that bridges workwear practicality with punk-influenced styling.
belt
Connected To
Movement·New RomanticismMovement·Power Dressing
SHAREDsame era · cross-culture · cross-category
These pieces capture the 1980s' obsession with craft as rebellion—one through the meticulous hand-knitting of individual letters that spell out stories across the sweater's surface, the other through the old-world leatherwork that sheathes industrial metal braces in buttery tan sleeves.
Text57%
Image66%
Entity29%
Movement·New RomanticismTechnique·metalwork
SHAREDsame era · cross-culture · cross-category
Text61%
Movement·Power DressingTechnique·leather-working
SHAREDsame era · cross-culture · cross-category
Text58%
Movement·Power DressingTechnique·leather-working
SHAREDsame era · cross-culture · cross-category
Text55%
Pull the Thread→
Follow this garment wherever the graph leads
