From a stall in Portobello Road market, London in the 1970s and later incorporating costume jewellery as statement pieces within catwalk collections, this exhibition dives into the extensive history of jewellery design and creation by the Vivienne Westwood house.

Westwood’s story will be told through a series of rooms, each meticulously curated with distinct decades of design, allowing the visitors to journey through time from the 1980s to the present day – exploring eclectic pairings of jewellery and garments, and accessories, evoking the fashion house’s iconic style.

This exhibition will be supported by a rich programme of events spanning jewellery, fashion, feminism, sustainability, music, and more.

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood began designing in 1971 along with her then partner Malcolm McLaren in London. It was in 1976 when Westwood and McLaren defined the street culture of Punk with Seditionaries.

By the end of the seventies Vivienne Westwood was already considered a symbol of the British avant-garde and for Autumn/Winter 1981 she showed her first catwalk presentation at Olympia in London. Westwood then turned to traditional Savile Row tailoring techniques, using British fabrics and 17th- and 18th-century art for inspiration.

1989 was the year that Vivienne met Andreas Kronthaler, who would later become her husband and long-time design partner, as well as Creative Director of the brand.

Throughout her life Westwood captured the imagination and raised awareness of environmental and human rights issues around the world. With a design record spanning over fifty years, Vivienne Westwood is now recognised as a global brand and Westwood herself is remembered as one of the most influential fashion designers, and activists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Header image: Vivienne Westwood: © Jo Metson Scott

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