Vivienne Westwood’s iconic designs from ‘Pistol’ are on sale to aid humanitarian crisis
An exclusive sale of the official Sex and Seditionaires costumes from Danny Boyle’s Sex Pistols drama will support The Vivienne Foundation
When director Danny Boyle took on the task of bringing the incendiary world of the Sex Pistols to the screen for his 2022 FX drama, Pistol, portraying the authenticity of the punk movement meant getting the costumes right.
To accurately dress actors like Anson Boon (as Johnny Rotten), the production company reached out to Vivienne Westwood in 2021 to license the late Dame’s revolutionary designs. Westwood accepted the reproduction license only if the production donated all costumes and props to The Vivienne Foundation once shooting wrapped.
Now, the over 400 replicas of the Sex and Seditionaries era are going on sale to support the foundation’s charitable endeavours. Iconic designs include the Tit’s T-shirt, Anarchy shirts, bondage trousers and assorted rubberwear. Staying true to the ‘punk’ spirit, the Foundation is selling the costumes at an accessible price point. Pieces like the latex top starting at £100 and a Sex Pistols tee priced at £75.
The Vivienne Foundation offered insight into the lasting impact of Westwood and McLaren’s work, saying: “Punk was a defining era in the 1970s and the designs that were created by Vivienne and Malcolm confronted society and the taboos which were prevalent at the time and still exist even today”.
Profits from the sale will go directly to The Vivienne Foundation, benefiting two causes: the Free West Papua Campaign (FWPC) and the International Red Cross Committee’s (ICRC) work in Sudan. The FWPC actively campaigns to raise global attention regarding the ongoing West Papuan genocide. Since 1978 the ICRC has maintained a presence in Sudan, supporting hospitals and delivering aid in conflict zones.
The exclusive sale of ‘original replicas’ is the result of the ongoing partnership between Byronesque and London retailer MACHINE-A. Dubbed MACHINE-B, the ongoing project reissues iconic archival designs from various cult designers.
“Collaborating with the Vivienne Foundation on this initiative has been incredibly inspiring,” says MACHINE-A creative director Steven Ma. “The idea that you can own an authentic piece of fashion history… at such accessible prices, while directly supporting Vivienne’s legacy and the causes that she believed in so passionately, feels both important and creates a conversational point of view amongst audiences that always seek authenticity and emotional connection while supporting conscious shopping.”
To provide deeper context on the enduring significance of these pieces, Byronesque produced a film with Joe Corré. The son of Westwood and McLaren and a director of the foundation offers insight into the history of the designs.
The film, detailing the project and Westwood’s legacy, was produced by Byronesque founder Gill Linton and filmed by Justin Westover. The production team also included Chase Coughlin (editor) and assistant research editors Dorothea Hörmann and Anna Maria Somma
Sex & Seditionaries and a Sixty-Year Legacy
The sale of the Vivienne Westwood Pistol costumes is on now until 14 December at Machine-A. (13 Brewer St, London W1F 0RH).