The late British fashion designer and political activist Vivienne Westwood is auctioning off her personal clothes, with the money going to charities close to the “queen of punk”‘s heart. The majority of the more than 250 garments and accessories in “Vivienne Westwood: The Personal Collection” were first shown on the runway before being worn by the designer herself. Some of her most well-known creations, such as corsets, tartan patterns, voluminous taffeta dresses, platform shoes, and T-shirts with political statements, are featured in the collection.
Christie’s of London is hosting an online sale that will begin on Friday and run through June 28. On June 25, there will be a live auction. Custom-designed playing card prints that aim to raise awareness of topics like social injustice, climate change, and human rights are included in the lots. Westwood, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 81, expanded and signed ten to help generate money for Greenpeace.
The designer’s own Vivienne Foundation, which collaborates with NGOs “to create a better society and halt climate change,” and Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), and other charitable organizations will get additional earnings. “Vivienne’s Playing Cards” served as the impetus for a bigger charity auction, according to Clementine Swallow, the collection’s cataloguer and sale coordinator, who spoke with AFP. Even though Westwood “knew she wasn’t going to be able to see the project out… she had the wish that her personal wardrobe would be sold to benefit other charities important to her” , Swallow stated.
Andreas Kronthaler, 58, a widower from Westwood, has been actively involved in the selling. “He’s personally put together each of the lots to be an outfit she would have worn,” said Swallow. “These are the items that she chose to have, of the many thousand things that she designed over 40 years,” she stated. “They are the kinds of things that she felt were the epitome of her designs.”
Durability Many of the objects in the collection demonstrate Westwood’s effect on culture and the variety of sources she worked with during her four-decade career. The oldest item is a navy jacket and skirt set from the “World’s End, Witches” Autumn-Winter 1983 collection, which was created when Westwood was still working with Malcolm McLaren, her first husband and the Sex Pistols’ manager. According to Swallow, Westwood was motivated by British history but added a provocative edge to classic designs. She cited a taffeta ball gown with “bondage-style black wrappings” as one example.
A lot of the clothing included political imagery and phrases that alluded to Westwood’s support for social justice. “Activism is a significant aspect of Vivienne’s persona… She truly is one of those designers that took their creations and utilized them as a platform to express her political beliefs and thoughts, according to Swallow. Highlights of the collection also include the iconic pink tartan pattern from Westwood and a cropped blue jacket that supermodel Naomi Campbell wore in the infamous incident when she tripped on the runway while sporting 12-inch (30-centimeter) Westwood platforms.
Early versions of the designer’s stretchy corsets are also seen. Key issues include sustainability and ethical fashion. The most costly item is a cut-out illusion gown made with elaborate beading and gold paneling by hand, expertly crafted by Kenyan craftsmen. Everything utilized in the show is recyclable or recycled, even the wooden stands and cardboard signs. “It’s been a great lesson for us, (proving that) we can do recyclable exhibitions,” Swallow stated.
Items from the collection are valued between 200 and 7,000 pounds (255 and 9,000 USD), although considering Westwood’s standing, a significantly higher price is anticipated. Although Swallow stated that the designer “loved the idea that (her clothes) might be worn by real people,” museums and other organizations are anticipated to submit bids. “The idea that they might have another life is wonderful,”.
