Skip to content
1981
Volume 7, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2050-0742
  • E-ISSN: 2050-0750

Abstract

Vivienne Westwood frequently utilizes her iconic status to advocate for a variety of social, political and economic issues (Moir 2021). Since 2008, environmental politics, climate change and fracking policies have been the focus of her activism. Westwood regularly attends anti-fracking protests, such as in 2015, when she gained significant news attention for driving a tank across British Prime Minister David Cameron’s lawn. This article explores the possibilities of Westwood’s design activism within visual culture to communicate the grave environmental consequences of fracking and climate change. In addition to her political activities, Westwood has incorporated an environmental critique into her fashion collections, such as transforming her 2015 London Fashion Week performance into an anti-fracking protest. Westwood consequently draws upon her privileged status as a cultural icon to position her runway and subsequent media attention as a platform encouraging critical debate in regard to ethical fashion and environmental change.

© 2020 Intellect Ltd
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/cc_00029_1
2021-03-01
2026-04-10

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Anon. ( 2013;), ‘ Modern dance opening highlights “fashion activism” at Vivienne Westwood’s London show. ’, Huffington Post, 15 November, https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/15/modern-dance-opening-high_n_3931524.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Anon. ( 2014;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood and son attempt to deliver asbestos to David Cameron in protest against fracking. ’, Evening Standard, 18 December, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/vivienne-westwood-and-son-attempt-to-deliver-asbestos-to-david-cameron-in-protest-against-fracking-9933525.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Anon. ( 2015;), ‘ What is fracking and why is it controversial?. ’, BBC News , 16 December, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-14432401. Accessed 19 April 2021.
  4. Blackall, Luke. ( 2014;), ‘ Westwood warns off fracking. ’, The Independent, 16 January.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Conlon, Scarlett. ( 2017;), ‘ LFW kicks off with a green promise. ’, Vogue UK, 15 September, https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/london-fashion-week-green-initiative-vivienne-westwood-mayor-of-london. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy. ( 2013;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood, Virgin and good old-fashion celebrity sell-outs. ’, The Guardian, 3 May, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/03/vivienne-westwood-virgin-celebrity-sellouts. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Devlin, Hannah. ( 2011;), ‘ Westwood gives £1m to save planet. ’, The Times, 28 November.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Ethical Fashion Initiative ( n.d.;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood. ’, https://ethicalfashioninitiative.org/lifestylepartners/viviennewestwood. Accessed 30 May 2018.
  9. Goldberg, Carrie. ( 2018;), ‘ Stella McCartney is behind Meghan Markle’s reception dress. ’, Harper’s Bazaar, 19 May, https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a20748097/meghan-markle-wedding-dress-designer-stella-mccartney-brand/. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Griffiths, Stuart. ( 2014;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood leads the London Fracked Future march. ’, Dazed, 20 March, https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/19321/1/vivienne-westwood-leads-london-anti-fracking-fracked-future-march#:~:text=Dame%20Vivienne%20Westwood%20led%20hundreds,the%20controversial%20gas%20extraction%20process. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Hansen, Anders, and Machin, David. ( 2013;), ‘ Researching visual environmental communication. ’, International Communication, 7:2, pp. 151–68.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Knapton, Sarah. ( 2016;), ‘ Mark Rylance and Emma Thompson urge British Museum to drop BP as sponsor. ’, The Telegraph, 3 April, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/03/mark-rylance-and-emma-thompson-urge-british-museum-to-drop-bp-a/. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Levy, Geoffrey. ( 2016;), ‘ Now Dame Dotty’s 75, isn’t it time she grew up?. ’, Daily Mail, 16 October, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3838812/Now-Dame-Dotty-s-75-isn-t-time-grew-Vivienne-Westwood-s-new-diaries-incessant-dropping-reveal-pompous-eccentric-hypocritical-ever.html. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Lyons, James. ( 2015;), ‘ Westwood’s anti-fracking frock turns toxic. ’, The Sunday Times, 14 March, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/westwoods-anti-fracking-frock-turns-toxic-hms37j0v2z7. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Markussen, Thomas. ( 2013;), ‘ The disruptive aesthetics of design activism: Enacting design between art and politics. ’, Design Issues, 29:1, pp. 38–50.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Moir, Aidan. ( 2021;), ‘ Punk, Obamacare, and a Jesuit: Branding the iconic ideals of Vivienne Westwood, Barack Obama, and Pope Francis. ’, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Toronto:: York University;.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Murphy, Anna. ( 2018;), ‘ Fashion from nature, at the V&A, London, shows the real cost of high fashion. ’, The Times, 7 April, https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fashioned-from-nature-at-the-v-a-shows-how-fashion-harms-the-planet-and-what-to-do-about-it-sxf29xw5l. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Rabson, Mia. ( 2018;), ‘ Ottawa buying Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, terminal for $4.5 billion. ’, Maclean’s , 29 May, https://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/kinder-morgan-pipeline-bill-morneau-to-announce-if-ottawa-is-buying-trans-mountain-live-video/. Accessed 19 April 2021.
  19. Reed, Sam. ( 2015;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood hosts anti-fracking protest in London. ’, Hollywood Reporter, 28 April, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/vivienne-westwood-hosts-anti-fracking-792043. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Takach, Geo. ( 2017), Tar Wars: Oil, Environment and Alberta’s Image, Edmonton:: University of Alberta Press;.
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Thomas, Sue. ( 2008;), ‘ From “green blur” to ecofashion: Fashioning an eco-lexicon. ’, Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body and Culture, 12:4, pp. 525–39.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Tominey, Camilla. ( 2016;), ‘ Dame Vivienne Westwood changes…. ’, Sunday Express, 16 September, n.pag.
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Waters, Jamie. ( 2015;), ‘ Vivienne Westwood’s top ten political moments. ’, Dazed, 8 April, https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/24335/1/vivienne-westwood-s-top-ten-political-moments. Accessed 19 April 2021.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Westwood, Vivienne. ( 2016), Get a Life!, London:: Profile Books;.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Moir, Aidan. ( 2020;), ‘ Fracking, fashion and the environmental activism of Vivienne Westwood. ’, Clothing Cultures, 7:1, pp. 71–78, https://doi.org/10.1386/cc_00029_1
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/cc_00029_1
Loading
  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): design activism; environmental activism; environmental communication; ethical fashion; fashion; Vivienne Westwood

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test