In 2017, Vivienne Westwood designed a deck of playing cards symbolising Earth's most pressing issues. 

Dame Vivienne Isabel Westwood was born on April 8th, 1941 in Tintwistle. Vivienne rose to fame in the 1970s as one of the key figures in the punk rock movement. Her collaboration with Malcolm McLaren, manager of the Sex Pistols, resulted in the opening of a boutique in London. 

Westwood was working on the design of this set of cards until her untimely death in December 2022.  

"THE BIG PICTURE — Vivienne’s Playing Cards: Collect the cards. Connect the cards (2024)," will be presented at Christie’s in London on June 25, 2024. This collection comprises ten digital prints, each personally signed by Westwood, numbered one from an edition of ten, housed in a distinct hand-embroidered portfolio box.

Commissioned by The Vivienne Foundation and designed in collaboration with Redbreast Editions, London, Vivienne’s Playing Cards merge slogans with graphic imagery in a cut-and-paste style, embodying Westwood’s aesthetic. 

Among the prints is one featuring Wikileaks founder Julian Assange donning a T-shirt with Vivienne Westwood emblazoned on the front, labelled ‘True Punk.’ Another portrays Westwood herself, dressed as Margaret Thatcher from a 1989 Tatler magazine cover, with an uncanny resemblance. "I just put a little doubt in my eyes," she answered when questioned about her impersonation of the Iron Lady.

The proceeds from the sale, orchestrated by The Vivienne Foundation, will bolster Greenpeace, a cause deeply cherished by the esteemed fashion designer.