Your Invitation to an Exclusive Curators Talk and Viewing of
Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery!
Designed by the fashion house of Vivienne Westwood and produced by Nomad Exhibitions, this exhibition invites you to immerse yourself in the extensive jewellery design of Vivienne Westwood, through a series of specially curated rooms.
Friends of Te Papa are delighted to invite you to an exclusive members-only viewing of Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery, accompanied by a special Curators introduction and guided tour of the exhibition.
Join Claire Regnault, Senior Curator New Zealand History & Culture, for an introductory talk on Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery, Te Papa’s glittering summer exhibition. Best known as a fashion designer and activist, Westwood began her design career as a jeweller at the Portobello Market in London and became famous for her DIY clothing and jewellery during the punk period. As she developed as a designer, jewellery came to play an increasingly significant role in her dramatic catwalk shows. The exhibition features over 500 stunning pieces of couture jewellery which have never before been seen together.
Following Claire’s introduction, Friends are invited to move through to the exhibition with exclusive use of the space. You will be hosted by members of the Te Papa team who worked alongside the talented team from Vivienne Westwood to curate the exhibition, on hand to point out key pieces and discuss design elements with you. Westwood’s story will be told through a series of rooms, each meticulously curated with distinct decades of design, allowing the visitors to journey through time from the 1980s to the present day – exploring eclectic pairings of jewellery and garments, and accessories, evoking the fashion house’s iconic style
This special Friends members event is available to you at a 33% discount of the exhibition ticket price. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to experience a world of elegance and rebellious designs!
Vivienne Westwood began designing in 1971 along with her then partner Malcolm McLaren from a stall in Portobello Road market, London. It was in 1976 when Westwood and McLaren defined the street culture of Punk with Seditionaries.
By the end of the seventies Vivienne Westwood was already considered a symbol of the British avant-garde and for Autumn/Winter 1981 she showed her first catwalk presentation at Olympia in London. Westwood then turned to traditional Savile Row tailoring techniques, using British fabrics and 17th- and 18th-century art for inspiration.
1989 was the year that Vivienne met Andreas Kronthaler, who would later become her husband and long-time design partner, as well as Creative Director of the brand.
Throughout her life Westwood captured the imagination and raised awareness of environmental and human rights issues around the world. With a design record spanning over fifty years, Vivienne Westwood is now recognised as a global brand and Westwood herself is remembered as one of the most influential fashion designers, and activists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
This Curator’s introduction and guided tour is available to members only.
The Curator’s introduction to the exhibition on will take place in the Oceania room on level 3. It will be followed by exclusive access to the exhibition space on level 4 between 10:00 am – 11:00 am, 10 February 2025.
For ease of movement in the exhibition there will be two 30 minute Curators introductory sessions available: 9:30 am and 10:00 am, and three bookable time slots for the exhibition, please see the ticket time slots below.
Image credit: Vivienne Westwood: © Jo Metson Scott