A few days ago, precisely on April 8, the English pioneer who brought punk on catwalk turned 80 and, of course, wanted to celebrate this milestone in an original way.
Vivienne Westwood wanted to launch a real social anthem, becoming protagonist of a performance that sees her play, from the window of her boutique in Davies street, a rewritten version of “Without You” the song of rebellion and independence by Eliza Doolittle from the famous musical “My Fair Lady”. The performance in question had already been presented, about a month ago, within the Autumn-Winter 21/22 collection film written by Andreas Kronthaler and Vivienne Westwood. For the making of this fashion video, she and her husband had decided to revisit “My Fair Lady” in a much more extravagant and contemporary eye, involving international artists and models.
In honor of Vivienne’s birthday, with the same performance in film collection, it was edited, in collaboration with CIRCA – the new digital art platform that every month commissions a different artist to create a new work for Piccadilly Circus in London – a new provocative short film with “do not buy a bomb” slogan. The video thus appeared on the largest screen in Europe on the evening of April 8 at 8:21 pm showing an anarchist remake of “Without You” containing a series of social and environmental messages.
In short film Vivienne says: “I have a plan to save the world. Capitalism is a war economy and war is the biggest polluter, so stop war and change economy to fair distribution of wealth at the same time: No Mans Land. Let’s be clear, you and I cannot stop the war, but we can stop arms production and that will stop climate change, avoiding financial crash. […] Write in your articles, in your columns and on social networks because as a journalist you are an activist. I’ve always associated fashion with activism: one helps the other. Maybe fashion can stop the war. […] Buy less, choose better, make it last. Do not buy a car! Do not buy a bomb!”
Westwood, always a strong activist, tries in this way to stand against social indifference by begging passers-by, invoking climate revolution and denouncing arms trade.
A special print was also produced in favor of CAAT (Campaign Against Arm Trade), British association against international arms trade of which Vivienne Westwood has made it clear is a supporter.
The print, in a limited edition, presents the video message motto “do not buy a bomb” next to kittens who want to remember the acronym CAAT and can be purchased on circa.art website at a price of £100 until May 8, 2021. For moreover, a large part of profits will go to help #CIRCAECONOMY initiative born in support of cultural community in United Kingdom in response to current crisis due to the health emergency.
Not being intimidated by age, Vivienne Westwood showed us once again how extraordinary she is.
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