As Christie’s opens its auction of the late British designer’s pieces, her friends and family — including husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler — share the stories behind the lots
In the spring of 1974, a revolutionary pair opened a boutique called Sex on the King’s Road in London. The shop, selling fetish and bondage gear, was a “market research forum” for Vivienne Westwood and her then-partner, designer and Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren. Hailed as the most controversial fashion boutique in UK history, it was the birthplace of punk and the launchpad for a fashion icon. Fifty years later, Westwood’s eclectic and eccentric legacy has evolved far beyond that quirky establishment.
Christie’s is paying homage to the life and career of Westwood, who died in December 2022, aged 81, with a sale of the designer and activist’s personal wardrobe. Among the lots are dresses, suits, shoes and jewellery that the Grande Dame of British fashion not only designed, but chose to wear herself.
Westwood understood that these pieces would earn the status of “works of art”. They were designed to be filled with the life of their wearers, at protests and punk scenes, or galas, or simply to up the glamour in moments of daily life.
My mother, who worked in the Davies St shop in the 90s and recalls fittings with the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Winslet and Lady Romilly McAlpine, insists that Westwood’s designs were intended for rocking and for rolling.
She describes the spirit of Westwood in those wild 90s days: “It was the three C’s darling; Couture, Champagne and something else, oh I really can’t remember.”
“We chose nothing!” says Adrian Hume-Sayer, the Director of Private & Iconic Collections at Christie’s, of how the auction came about. In fact, during the last few months of her life, Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler, her husband for more than 30 years, and now the Creative Director of Vivienne Westwood, had discussed selling her wardrobe for charity. It was Kronthaler who single-handedly curated the selection that is coming up for auction.
“Towards the end, we talked about her clothes and whether they should be sold for a good cause,” Kronthaler says. “Vivienne immediately agreed to raise money for charities and organisations she worked with.” The proceeds of both the live and the online auctions will be donated to The Vivienne Foundation, Médecins Sans Frontières, Amnesty International and Greenpeace.
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Advertise with NZME.In Kronthaler’s mind, it is impossible to overstate the importance of this sale. “We are offering her very personal collection of clothing. You will feel and see how much they were part of her. It’s a joy to be able to share it with others and not to waste, and to give the garments a new life.”
While some of these pieces may end up in institutions, this sale presents a unique opportunity for collectors and fashion fans – Westwood warriors – to participate in the legacy of the designer. Here are the most important items in the sale:
Vivienne’s Playing Cards
Estimate: £30,000-£50,000 ($62,100-$103,500)
The first lot in the sale is a complete set of 10 digital prints designed by Westwood. “Vivienne saw this whole collection of playing cards as a way of explaining her ideas about how we could change the world for the better,” Westwood’s son, and founder of the lingerie brand Agent Provocateur, Joe Corré explains.
In her final months, Westwood commissioned the publication of these playing cards that encapsulate her manifesto for change. Anticipating that she may not live to see the project’s fulfilment, she prepared 100 sheets of paper prior to printing, and signed each sheet with her playful autograph. The project was realised posthumously and the prints are being sold for the benefit of Greenpeace.
‘Witches’ Collection suit of 1983
Estimate: $8300-$12,400
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Advertise with NZME.The Witches collection of 1983 was the first indication that Westwood was heading in a new direction away from punk, it was also the last collection in which she collaborated with Malcolm Mclaren. Inspiration for the collection came from a 1982 New York meeting with Keith Haring, whose designs were printed and woven into many items in the collection.
“The suit from the Witches Collection (1983-84) is the earliest piece in the sale,” explains Kronthaler of one of his favourite items. “It’s a very important piece, it’s something she wore a lot [and was] very unusual at the time. You could wear it in different ways, she loved wearing it low on her hip. ‘Play’ was another important aspect of her clothing.”
Cinderella dress of 2011
Estimate: $4100-$6200
Kronthaler says that this piece was “very much inspired by ballet costume. Vivienne particularly loved the Ballet Russes when they conquered Paris in the 1910s and early 1920s. She was very inspired by Leon Bakst and used him as an inspiration over and over in her work.”
“The Cinderella dress is a shape she loved,” Kronthaler adds. “She wore this dress so much that I begged her not to wear it at one point. I said to her ‘I can’t see it anymore!’. And then she replied, ‘but I don’t care!’. The dress was worn so often that it ripped in the seams. And her hand stitches are clearly visible. She was an amazing mender.”
‘I’m Julian Assange’ T-Shirt of 2012
Estimate: $2000-$3100
Brigitte Stepputtis, a longtime friend of Vivienne Westwood, had worked with the designer for 33 years and is currently the brand’s Global Head of Couture. She expressed her admiration for all the outfits that reflect Vivienne’s activism. A standout lot for her is the T-shirt collection, which she feels perfectly embodies Westwood’s ability to convey powerful messages through fashion and graphics. Stepputtis adds that she “had the honour of making Stella Assange’s wedding dress for her marriage to Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison. It was such a remarkable experience.”
Beige linen ‘Frida’ Cape of 2014
Estimate: $1700-$2500
‘Vivienne Westwood: The Personal Collection’ will take place at Christie’s as a live auction on June 25 with an online sale running from June 14 to 28. A free public exhibition is on view at Christie’s London from June 14 to 24.
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