How would you sum up the life and legacy of Vivienne Westwood at the memorial service? She’s the chief genius of England’s fashion classics, and so much else? As her granddaughter Cora Corré admitted in her closing remarks at this afternoon’s event at Southwark Cathedral: “We can only really touch upon the character of the phenomenon that is Vivienne Westwood; a grandmother, a mother, a A sister, a friend, a teacher, an artist, a designer—it’s never enough.”
From family to fashion to punk and protests in the last year There’s a lot to cover in this minute celebration of Westwood, who passed away in December. However, there are also some well-judged moments, as reflective punctuation—letting everything sink in—delivered through some particularly beautiful performances. One came from Nick Cave, who sat gloomyly at the piano and sang Into My Arms with pained emotional precision. The other is from Chrissie Hynde, who, accompanied by guitarist, performed Buddy Holly’s Raining in My Heart low and pure.
Attendees in honor of Westwood reflect on the colorful accomplishments she has achieved in life progress. They include (in no particular order) Paul Smith, Kate Moss, Tracey Emin, Elle Fanning, Victoria Beckham, Pam Hogg, Lily Cole, Liberty Rose, Bianca Jagger, Georgia Jagger, Bob Geldof, Sadie Frost, Jed Parfit, Mark Moore, Giles Deacon, Beth Ditto, Zandra Rhodes, Brian Cox, Richard E. Grant, Ellen Von Unwerth, Paloma Faith, Erdem Moralioglu, Matty Bovan, Stormzy, Alexa Chung, Vanessa Redgrave, and Christina Hendricks. Hamish Bowles, Edward Enninful and Anna Wintour all hail from this parish.
The funeral began and ended with a performance by the Arnfield Brass Band, Arne The Field Brass Band, a brass band from Tintwistle, Derbyshire, near Westwood’s birthplace, played at the funeral in January. The welcome was delivered by the Reverend Andrew Nunn, Head of Southwark College.
Then there was Westwood’s husband, Andreas Kranthaler. Touchingly, he tells two stories about his wife, one from their time together. The first time was from 1988, when he was studying fashion in Vienna, she was his teacher, and they started a relationship. He recalled that he illegally took her early to see some of the city’s best Old Masters. As he picked up Westwood, he recalls: “She looked sensational. She was wearing a chocolate brown stretch velvet bodysuit. A scarf draped around her hips. Her rocking horse shoes. Pink leopard faux Fur. And her curly hair, which is orange.” At the art history exhibition, he showed her his favorite Velázquez, and then Rubens—he spoke to us from the pulpit There is a portrait of Rubens on the tie he was wearing at the time. As Westwood looked at the painting, Kronthaler recalled: “I looked at her and realized. She is my dear girl and I will always be with her.”
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