Royals, Rockers and Rascals

It was the hottest ticket in London and the twenty metre queue to get in paid homage to that. Dame Vivienne Westwood returned to London Fashion Week after a nine year absence and with that launched the Vivienne Westwood Opus, a giant photographic body of work, at the Serpentine Museum on Tuesday 12th February. Together with Opus, Vivienne entertained their special friends, fans and family who celebrated the Opus that she herself values as one of her greatest achievements.

Many of those who contributed to the Opus were there to support the project in person including Erin O’Connor, Lady Gabriella Windsor, Tracy Emin, Roisin Murphy, a heavily pregnant Laura Bailey, Edward Tudor-Pole, not to mention Vivienne’s sons Ben and Joe and her mother Dora.

As ever, husband Andreas Kronthaler was by Vivienne’s side and together raised their glasses with Opus CEO, Karl Fowler as he publicly thanked the Westwood team for their enthusiasm and passion in partnering Opus in sharing the vision to create a unique fashion statement.

When Vivienne herself addressed the swelling crowd she proudly proclaimed that her manifesto can change the world and its way of thinking. The manifesto is reproduced in full over two hundred pages and sits opposite ninety-seven stunning portraits taken on a giant Polaroid camera.

The night bubbled and the crowd fizzed. In attendance were dogs, babies, burlesque performers, actors, models, singers, sinners and saints all soaking up the heady atmosphere where the music thumped your body, the photo’s displayed stirred your soul and the cocktails spun in your head. International TV crews jostled to interview Vivienne standing with her Opus as the papparatzzi fought to get a picture to grace tomorrows front covers. It’s fair to say the appeal of Westwood as British icon and fashion label hasn’t faded over the decades but is in fact stronger than ever!