An auction featuring dresses, suits, shoes, and jewelry from the personal collection of the late British designer Vivienne Westwood is set to take place this month, aiming to raise funds for charity. Christie’s in London is offering more than 200 lots in the “Vivienne Westwood: The Personal Collection” auction, which will include a live sale on June 25 and an online auction running from June 14 to 28. Westwood, a towering figure in British fashion, passed away in December 2022 at the age of 81.
Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood’s collaborator and widower, has curated the collection, selecting pieces that span 40 years of Westwood’s career. The earliest item in the auction dates back to her Autumn-Winter 1983-1984 collection. “These are the things that she chose to wear herself throughout the last 40 years of her life,” said Adrian Hume-Sayer, head of the sale for the auction. “It’s very personal… These are the things you can see her on her bike, riding around London, press interviews, end of the catwalk… just conducting her day-to-day life. But she also lived… as she spoke. And so unlike many people… in her position she wore things repeatedly. She had favourites.”
Westwood, synonymous with 1970s punk rebellion, was also renowned for her activism. Her T-shirts often featured slogans against fossil fuel-driven climate change and pollution, as well as support for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The auction will also feature a set of enlarged prints of a pack of playing cards designed by Westwood in 2017, addressing issues such as climate change and inequality. These prints are estimated to sell for between 30,000 and 50,000 pounds ($38,292 – $63,820).
Proceeds from the auction will benefit causes and charities that Westwood supported, including her own Vivienne Foundation, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and Médecins Sans Frontières, according to Christie’s.
This auction offers a unique glimpse into the personal style of one of fashion’s most iconic figures. Each piece in the collection not only represents Westwood’s bold and revolutionary approach to fashion but also her commitment to social and environmental causes. As fans and collectors eagerly await the chance to own a piece of Westwood’s legacy, the auction promises to be a significant event that honors her remarkable life and work.
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