Vivienne Westwood’s festive campaign celebrates rebellion and creative community

Vivienne Westwood opens its festive calendar with the Twelve Days of Westwood, an ambitious collaborative campaign that unfolds across the coming weeks as artists and friends of the house contribute their own interpretations of the season. The initiative captures the essence of what has always animated the brand: a spirit of freedom, a quiet defiance of convention, and the collective energy of creative minds working in concert.

Central to this celebration is the Cindy Cylinder bag, a piece that exemplifies Westwood’s uncompromising approach to design. Black velvet in form, it carries hardware inspired details that lend it an intentionally raw, assembled quality. A chunky chain wraps across its surface, catching the light like salvaged industrial elements, while a golden charm hangs at its centre. The silhouette itself feels sculptural, a cylinder rendered elegant through sheer refusal to soften its edges. Styled here against burnished silver vessels and a deep crimson ribbon, the bag becomes something more than an accessory; it reads as a deliberate gesture, a talisman of the unconventional spirit the campaign champions.

Each contribution to the twelve days brings a distinct creative voice to the narrative. The photographer Alexa Sonsino, whose image anchors this opening, has composed a still life that transforms festive tradition into theatre. Raphaël Ledaguerre’s set design orchestrates silverware and ceremonial objects into an arrangement that feels both baroque and anarchic, refusing the neat symmetries of holiday convention. The red silk ribbon bisecting the composition cuts through formality like a declaration.

Throughout the campaign, Westwood’s collections will offer fresh perspectives on celebration itself. The house continues to demonstrate that true luxury resides not in compliance but in the courage to think differently, to make choices that express individuality, and to build community around shared values of creativity and defiance.

Imagery courtesy of Vivienne Westwood (@viviennewestwood).