Vivienne Westwood Celebrates Her 80th Birthday In The Most Vivienne Westwood Way

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Happy Birthday, Vivienne Westwood!

The fashion rebel, who turns 80 today, has turned the tables this year, giving something to us all on a day that should be all about her. Westwood is synonymous with punk, grunge, and New Wave fashion—she has long created clothing that pushes the boundaries to inspire social and political change, and her latest release is no different.

To speak out against the arms trade, on her 80th birthday, CIRCA and Vivienne Westwood collaborate to present a short film by Westwood, titled ‘Do Not Buy A Bomb.’ In the ten-minute film, the punk icon performs a rewritten rendition of ‘Without You’ from My Fair Lady to offer a stark warning of societal indifference to the looming environmental catastrophes, a cry against the arms trade, and its link to climate change. Westwood ponders an England without people and challenges audiences to ‘Tell the children the truth.’

Westwood believes that the war economy contributes to pollution, an unfair wealth gap, climate change, and more. For her birthday, she hopes followers will join her in supporting the fight against arms production.

“I 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: NO MANS LAND. Let’s be clear, U + I can’t stop war just like that. But we can stop arms production + that would halt climate change cc + financial Crash. Long term this will stop war,” Westwood said in a press release.

This most definitely isn’t the first time Westwood has created political content. In 2005, she made one of her most iconic shirts that read, “I AM NOT A TERRORIST. Please don’t arrest me,” which was an ode to the shooting of innocent man Jean Charles de Menezes in London to call out the government’s proposed anti-terror legislation. She also launched Climate Revolution at the 2012 London Paralympics to address climate change, and her Fall/Winter 2015 Red Label show was inspired by the simple message of “Vote Green.”

“Vivienne Westwood has a long history of addressing issues including climate change, civil liberties and nuclear disarmament. Provoking others to think afresh and reflect or consider their own actions, we are honoured to provide a platform to this British icon on the Piccadilly Lights screen and celebrate her 80th Birthday in style,” Josef O’Connor, Artistic Director of CIRCA said in a press release.

To go with the film, Westwood also created a special limited-edition print titled ‘Do Not Buy A Bomb’ in support of the #CIRCAECONOMY. It features the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which is a UK-based organization working to end the international arms trade supported by CIRCA.

‘Do Not Buy A Bomb’ is available to watch online at 20:21BST on www.circa.art, and is simultaneously being screened on the Piccadilly Lights. The limited-edition print is available to buy for £100 (excl.VAT) on the CIRCA website until 8 May 2021.

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