Vivienne Westwood has always been an activism figure in the Fashion Industry. Her work was a way to spread messages that were important for her.
‘buy less, choose well, make it last’
was a quite iconic quote stated by Vivienne Westwood, a motto, almost a brand itself. Climate change became a really important issue for her, she rethought her way of working and commercializing her products, focusing on quality rather than quantity. In the movie following her career, we can see her addressing issues on the production of the garments she designed. Indeed, she once said "What's good for the planet is good for the economy", in 2019.
Vivienne Westwood contributed to fighting agaisnt climate change at her own scale. We often saw her speaking in public, and raising awareness through powerful speeches and holding accountability. Also, she used to donate money to NGOs and charity for example to support the cause.
"She and her partner personally donated more than £1.5 million to support Cool Earth’s work in the Amazon and dedicated two fashion shows to the charity, realising the importance of re-distributing wealth to tackle social challenges."
She even started her own climate activism movement called the "Climate Revolution" , as well as working with and for Greenpeace to help their battle.
Overall, she postioned herself on social and political issues around the world. For example, she used to speak up about laws, brexit, Scottish independence and so on. Creating clothes was a way for her to inform and speak out about important topics. She aimed to disrupt and shock. For instance, she designed an anti-fascism tshirt, as shown on the right. Also, she opened the famous fetish boutique "SEX" in London, with Malcolm MacLaren, going with the flow of the Punk movement.
Nowadays, her fight still goes on, with for example, a catwalk turning into a protest, or simply her clothes helping spreading her ideas and beliefs.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Dame Vivienne Westwood: Why the Iconic Designer Was Fashion’s Most Vital Voice on Climate Change.” www.theglossarymagazine.com, 6 June 2023, theglossarymagazine.com/fashion/vivienne-westwood-climate-change.
Activism - Discover More | Vivienne Westwood®. www.viviennewestwood.com/en-de/contentsearch/?fdid=activism#:~:text=In%202013%20Vivienne%20designed%20their,ACTIVISM%20TO%20STOP%20CLIMATE%20CHANGE'.
Riano, Andy. “WELCOME TO SEX - VIVIENNE WESTWOOD’S LEGENDARY BOUTIQUE — MAGAZINE.” MAGAZINE, 30 May 2024, gatamagazine.com/articles/sex-vivienne-westwoods-legendary-store.
Design Council. “Dame Vivienne Westwood, the Fashionable Activist - Design Council - Medium.” Medium, 8 Feb. 2023, medium.com/design-council/vivienne-westwood-the-fashionable-activist-deccd3bb49d0.
