by Weronika Maleszewska
We are all aware of Vivienne Westwood’s activist nature, and she never ceases to impress: our favourite punk, female designer celebrated her 80th birthday in the most spectacular way possible. One look and you already know there is genius in her eyes, waiting for an opportunity to speak up. Birthday party transformed into an activist movement? Say no more.
Having retired from fashion some time ago, Westwood decided to have the greatest of returns, showcasing her CAAT campaign. It may sound as if Westwood took the reins of an animal activist, fighting for our cuddly, fluffy friends. Well, you could not be more wrong.
CAAT stands for ‘Campaign Against The Arms Trade’, which is exactly what Westwood wants you to be preaching about alongside her; to get rid of the massive use of deadly weapons that governments worldwide seem to be paying the most attention to and spending hundreds of millions on.
Westwood’s anti-war and climate justice advocacy is stronger than ever. Oh, and she collaborates with CIRCA, an innovative platform showcasing digital art, every day both online and in a democratic, accessible, and public space in the heart of London: on the Piccadilly Circus street screen.
Artistic Director of CIRCA, Josef O’Connor touched upon Westwood’s “long history” of addressing issues including climate change civil liberties, and nuclear disarmament.
From CIRCA’s official website:
DO NOT BUY A BOMB
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
On her 80th Birthday – 8th April 2021 – punk provocateur Vivienne Westwood has created a short film for CIRCA, debuting on the Piccadilly Lights screen at 20:23 BST. Appearing at first as an advert, ‘Do Not Buy A Bomb’ issues a warning of societal indifference to the looming environmental catastrophes, imploring passersby to listen, and makes a demand for climate revolution.
The short film featuring Westwood singing “Without You” from My Fair Lady really is a masterpiece. Picturing, in the most decent way possible, the real problems of today. By coming out with the performance, she issues a warning of societal indifference, bomb-ticking environmental catastrophes, and nuclear disarmament. Norbert Wunn, a fashion student says, “Vivienne Activist Westwood, that is her whole name, in case you haven’t noticed… She knows how to keep a meaningful conversation with the public “
In a written message that appears in the film, Westwood says, “Have a plan 2 save the World. Capitalism is a war economy + war is the biggest polluter, therefore Stop War + change economy 2 fair distribution of wealth at the same time.”
She encourages her audience to “stop arms production + that would halt climate change cc + financial Crash.
“Fashion CAN stop the War!”
Activist verve is almost always associated with youth. Rene Nourtz, a fashion student from Warsaw, said: “Westwood has a fire inside her that many people don’t have, she is an icon. I love what she is doing. Everything she does, makes sense. Thankful for her, always!”
Following Rene’s words, our crown-punk-logo queen has always been this way. Not wasting time, taking advantage of every possible moment to speak up, instilling passion into everyone around her. “Her statement is snappy, direct, spotless,” says Nourtz (except for a couple of, probably intentional, grammatical mistakes here and there), but hey, what counts is the message.
Thank you Vivienne!
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