Friends, family and industry colleagues of the late Dame Vivienne Westwood congregated at the Southwark Cathedral for a memorial to celebrate her enduring life and legacy this afternoon.
Westwood, who died aged 81 on December 30, will be remembered as the Queen of Punk fashion, and for the climate and activism work which defined her later years.
At 2pm today (Thursday 16 February), guests arrived to pay their respects and evidenced the immeasurable impact she had on fashion and the arts.
The dress code, which was “if in doubt, dress up”, was adhered to by the fashion industry’s leading figures. Kate Moss made a nod to Westwood wearing the signature, platform black suede heels, along with a floral silk dress and beret. Her daughter Lila arrived afterwards, also wearing a pair of Westwood’s pirate-inspired high heels.
Helena Bonham Carter, who gave the eulogy at the memorial, also paid tribute through her red tartan corseted blazer and matching skirt — one of Westwood’s most recognisable designs. She added a statement, pearl necklace with a large Westwood orb logo and matching orb drop earrings. She paid tribute to the impact of her design on her own life: “If it wasn’t for Vivienne I’d be naked,” she said.
Also speaking during the service was Nick Cave, who arrived arm-in-arm with his wife Susie Cave, as well as Westwood’s own family members, including her grandchildren Cora Corré, Joseph Corré and Ben Westwood. It was Joseph who made a nod to Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder whom Westwood campaigned for avidly in the final years of her life, in his touching speech.
It was her beloved husband Andreas Kronthaler, who is the creative director of the Vivienne Westwood fashion house today, who followed the Dean of Southwark’s welcome, and read his opening address.
“What she wanted more than anything was to make the world a better place,” Kronthaler told the congregation, before recounting their meeting and time spent together.
Important figures across London’s creative industries also attended this afternoon. Singers Stormzy, Paloma Faith, Bobby Gillespie and Will Young were seen, alongside fashion designers Victoria Beckham, Dame Zandra Rhodes and, from New York, Marc Jacobs.
Models Lily Cole, Georgia May Jagger and Alexa Chung were present, as was artist Tracy Emin and actors Elle Fanning and Vanessa Redgrave.
