Vivienne Westwood: The Personal Collection at Christie’s

Wondering about the Vivienne Westwood Personal Collection at Christie’s? I’ve got you covered.

Firstly, wow. I initially heard about this exhibition when looking for fashion related events in London during Eras Tour weekend and doing a little TikTok recon.The exhibition was free and open to public between the 14th and 24th June before the pieces were sold. 

I was curious to see how an ‘open to all’ fashion exhibition would work at a place like Chrisite’s, which is a British auction house with presence all over the world, known for selling Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci back in 2017 for $450.3 million. So how does such a prestigious place go about an event open to the public?

I have to say that all of the staff was extremely nice and polite, and even though I rocked up in my Boston Birkenstocks, a couple of shopping bags and my Lush tote bag full to the brim, I was treated the same as everyone else. As I was hoping to visit the exhibition on a Saturday and was unsure whether they would be open, I sent over a short email and got almost an immediate response, including any details I may need.

The experience was amazing and all the pieces on show were insanely beautiful.

Here are my favourite looks-

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, ‘WORLD WIDE WOMAN’ COLLECTION, AUTUMN-WINTER 2011 / 12

A full length nude ‘illusion’ gown embellished with gold sequins. Vivienne Westwood is pictured wearing this on the front cover of the exhibition’s catalogue. The dress sold for £8820.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, SPECIAL, 1998

White calf skin printed skirt suit and matching shoes. Bidding currently still open, at the time of writing this post, the highest bid is £1400.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, ‘DRESSED TO SCALE’ COLLECTION, AUTUMN-WINTER 1998 / 99

A corset gown of taupe silk taffeta. Sold for £32,760. How incredible is this dress? And the painting behind it?

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, SPECIAL, ‘THE MONEY PRINT DRESS’, 2012

You guessed it, a money print dress. Sold for £1890.

If you didn’t manage to make it in time, don’t worry! You can take a virtual tour of the exhibition here.

And as a little bonus, they were selling catalogues if the collection (£55) and tote bags (£25), both of which were eligible for 15% student discount, both of which you can order online.

If there is another fashion related exhibition on at Christie’s, I would absolutely consider going again. Likewise, if you are a fashion soul as myself, you should too. There is something so cosmic about appreciating historical dresses in the same building as Harry Winston jewellery.

K x