«We cannot stand human suffering». Vivienne Westwood’s seek for justice is coronated with a not-for-profit foundation in her name, continuing her work for a green economy
The Vivienne Foundation: political and cultural activism
No other name in fashion resonates quite as much with political and cultural activism as Vivienne Westwood’s. She dressed people for revolutions. Borrowing from history, while designing movements, she became well known for a loud protest iconography, where clothes would speak for human rights and equality. With the establishment of the Vivienne Foundation, her work as a protector of urgent causes continues with the same social relevance. The project maintains Westwood’s attachment to sustaining NGOs, consisting of four pillars of change – climate change, human rights, ending wars, and fighting capitalism.
standing on principles: climate change, human rights, ending wars, and fighting capitalism
Always a pioneer, always an innovator, and a visionary, Vivienne Westwood has been publicly voicing the issues of exploitation, resource abuse, social disparities, and many other visible disruptors of development in our world. As the fashion industry is the second most polluting agent after the gas and oil sector, Westwood particularly stood by defying climate change and the harm done to the general environment and natural habitat humans share.
«Let the next generation get a life», she says in an interview for I-D magazine, suggesting a piercing gaze toward the future of upcoming generations and the need to cultivate a world for the youth. The Vivienne Foundation stresses the concept that tomorrow is too late, fashioning the idea that contribution is no more a matter of choice but of obligation.
NGOs partnerships and War Child organization sustain
With the Foundation’s inauguration at the beginning of the year, it already showcases a high impact with donations for supporting CAAT’s legal battle to stop arming Saudi Arabia (£ 10.000), sustain the Refugee Council’s Age Disputes Program (£ 25.000) and for War Child’s Emergency Relief Fund (£ 25.000).
Through these NGO partnerships, The Vivienne Foundation is claiming tangible results with a campaign against war crimes and infantile victims. All the money raised until now is support for refugees seeking asylum in the UK, for condemning and resolving the arms trade operations and their sales by the Uj government to Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, with the help of the War Child organization, the foundation has raised money for children affected by conflict, helping stabilize and comfort some of the most vulnerable victims of war.
Saudi Arabia: stabilize and comfort the vulnerable victims of war
«All activists were driven by the same motive. We cannot stand human suffering. We can’t stand the mismanagement of the world. Right now we’re suffering from climate change, the end of civilization, and the extinction of the human race. It’s the rotten financial system that’s the cause of the whole thing, and so I think politicians are criminals because poverty causes crime».
Vivienne Westwood’s statement portrays her inner humanitarian condition, confessing to how she made use of the fashion platform to instigate active contributions in all unfunctional spheres of society.
An encyclopedia of Vivienne Westwood’s activism
Clothing represents an attitude towards lifestyle, economic conditions, gender roles, and many other factors that design living conditions. Through her fashion, Vivienne Westwood went against the corrupting uniforms imposed by behavior norms and generational control. «In those days my activism was about human rights. «My generation was politicized by the hippies and punk was a reaction against the fact that the people who caused the Vietnam War were still running the world. And it was like saying we’re not going to accept any of your taboos or your values».
CoolEarth.org and the SWITCH campaign
Protesting climate change over the past two decades through campaigns against rainforest logging, supporting the CoolEarth.org charity, money raising T-Shirts in collaboration with Green Piece while joining forces on an initiative to convince the fashion community to switch to global energy, the British designer’s attention always landed on the urgency of current Zeitgeists.
While an ambassador for Greenpeace, she focused on the ‘Save the Arctic’ campaign that would stop industrial drilling and fishing. Through the partnership with London Mayors’ Office in 2017 and the British Fashion Council Vivienne Westwood launched the SWITCH campaign consisting of implementing a green economy in the fashion field in their UK ateliers.
Plastic-free retail packaging using 100% green energy
About capitalism, she would say «is completely corrupt. Capitalism is like a rotten apple». The Vivienne Westwood Foundation fights against an economic scheme that doesn’t allow people to channel equality and sustainable well-being, seeing capitalism as the root of all the ongoing world issues. From sourcing, materials, and productions, Viviene Westwood’s label remains loyal to what she preaches. The motto: «Buy Less, Choose Well, Make it Last» represents an inspirational dialogue with customers, aiming to change their buying attitudes and focus more on investing in long-lasting items.
The Vivienne Westwood retail packaging is completely plastic free made in a factory using 100% green energy, while 90% of the fabrics used in ready-to-wear collections are said to be low-impact materials. There’s the traditional craft, the attention towards emissions and waste, and the lively design marking her expressiveness in all fashion areas.
The Vivienne Foundation honors a legacy
Curating opinions, observing without fear, and criticizing the actions of corrupt leaders. Vivienne Westwood has always been driven by her constant promotion of freedom of thought. Fashion for her was about liberties and breaking taboos, about people’s ability to express their identities to connect with communities and lead toward better change. Since 2011, Vivienne Westwood has engaged with the United Nations on the Ethical Fashion Initiative. She made a goal out of empowering women coming from marginalized African communities, and at the ceremony of the London Paralympics in 2012, Westwood inaugurated the Climate Revolution.
London Paralympics in 2012: Westwood Climate Revolution
Member of the human rights organization Liberty, an advocate for Reprieve, and a supporter and activist for Amnesty International, War Child, the Environmental Justice Foundation, and Friends of the Earth, she has campaigned, donated, and raised funds for hundreds of NGOs and charities.
Ultimately, Vivienne Westwood’s accomplishment was to create a safe space for artists, outcasts, intellectuals, and celebrities, for people who felt represented by her clothing to relentlessly conquer fear of standing out. Using the spotlight to address cases such as Julian Assange’s, Scottish independence, terrorism, and many others. It comes as naturally that she was awarded the Positive Change Award at the British Fashion Awards for her global campaigns within the industry in 2018.
The Black Panther Party and Feminists of the MeToo movement
From Demna’s dystopian catwalks to the many brands switching to upcycling and recycling for their latest collection, fashion is trying to become a vehicle of climate safeguarding. The protest core has always attracted the youth by offering a way to mimic revolt and disobedience. Going back on the history line, Che Guevara, The Black Panther Party, and Feminists allied with the MeToo movement, all contributed to designing a fashion code that would symbolize the rise against injustice.
Westwood’s punk revolution though social media
Maybe in a world led by communication and social media, it is easier to doubt the intent behind any campaign and social fights, but fashion has always remained slightly impartial. It adopted measures such as certificates and transparency proofs to bridge customers with the creative process while eliciting more stupor than awareness.
Vivienne Westwood’s fashion is part of the punk revolution. She didn’t do activism for the sake of fashion but did fashion for the sake of progression. With that in mind, the Vivienne Fondation is a concrete act of good in her name, continuing the many initiatives she has only started and materializing her contribution into benefic links with people.
The Vivienne Foundation
It exists to honor, protect and continue the legacy of Vivienne’s creativity and activism. The Foundation is built upon Vivienne’s four pillar approach to save the world – halt climate change, stop war, defend human rights and protest capitalism. We raise awareness and fundraise for NGOs aligned with our mission to create a better society and halt climate change.
