Dame Vivienne Westwood Receives the Swarovski Award for Positive Change

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has honoured Dame Vivienne Westwood with the Swarovski Award for Positive Change. The divine Ms. Westwood received the award December 10th at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The award recognizes this iconic designer for her contribution to the fashion industry and her continued work to make a global change in the way fashions are made for the benefit of the environment. As a longtime fan of Ms. Westwood and an Anglomania devotee, I was thrilled to see her honoured with this public recognition.

The Swarovski Award for Positive Change recognises and celebrates individuals who have made a positive impact on society, the environment or both, and forms part of Swarovski’s efforts to promote a more sustainable future for us all.Since 2010 the Vivienne Westwood brand has worked with the International Trade Centre a joint body of the United Nations, to produce bags through their Ethical Fashion Initiative. The programme currently supports the work of thousands of women from marginalized African communities and empowers informal manufacturers and craftspeople to enter the international value chain – providing an income for some of the poorest people in the world. The collections are created using recycled materials from slums and land fill and the income helps to stop the need to continue deforestation in the area. This is important work that produces beautiful fashions and helps to empower women.

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Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Swarovski Executive Board said: “The Swarovski Award for Positive Change forms part of Swarovski’s wider efforts to promote a more sustainable future. Dame Vivienne Westwood has made an indelible mark on global fashion and we are delighted to celebrate her inspirational creativity, lifelong advocacy of environmental causes and promotion of ethical fashion which have had an enduring and profound effect on the industry.”

The Fashion Awards is the main fundraiser for the BFC, a not for profit organisation focused on promoting

Over the last 20 years Dame Vivienne has campaigned for several environmental and human rights charities and grass roots NGO’s – she is a trustee of Liberty, patron of Reprieve and campaigner for Amnesty International, War Child, Friends of the Earth and the Environmental Justice foundation, amongst others. Vivienne Westwood have dedicated a number of their shows and collections to raise awareness around these causes.

For several years, Vivienne Westwood have actively supported the charity, Cool Earth in its efforts to save the rainforest and stop climate change. Cool Earth works with local communities to halt rainforest destruction. This ground-up approach has been proven to be the most effective way to mitigate the effects of global carbon emissions on climate change. By putting local people first, Cool Earth can safeguard the future of the world’s rainforests. Westwood has galvanised fashion industry friends to join the cause and dedicated 2 fashion shows to Cool Earth.

Dame Vivienne Westwood is also an ambassador for Greenpeace; in 2013 she designed its official ‘Save the Artic’ logo and in 2015 she launched a global campaign to stop drilling and industrial fishing in the area.

In September 2017, Vivienne Westwood, along with the BFC, and support from the London Mayors office, launched the SWITCH to Green campaign to bring the fashion industry together to lead in ambitious climate action. The ongoing campaign encourages industry leaders to commit to switch all UK offices and stores to a green energy supplier by 2020. As part of the SWITCH to Green campaign, Westwood uniquely brought together four of the biggest green energy suppliers to offer businesses quicker, measurable switches to a verified green provider.

Dame Vivienne Westwood on the runway.

The generosity and commitment of The Fashion Award sponsors is more vital than ever.  Thanks to Principal Sponsor SWAROVSKI for their support of The Fashion Awards 2018.  Thanks also to the event’s official sponsors American Express, Bird in Hand, Digital Domain, Getty Images, Lavazza, Mercedes-Benz, Rosewood London, Slingsby Gin and YouTube.  I was sad to miss this event, but I do hope to see  Westwood’s next collection at London Fashion Week.   Thank you Dame Vivienne for all you do for fashion and the enviroment!