The day Vivienne Westwood visited Proportion London

You may have seen it across our social media channels, but this is something so exciting that we’re not going to shut up about it anytime soon! Towards the end of 2023, we welcomed Vivienne Westwood into our factory, as we were chosen to be the location of their Spring Summer 2024 campaign shoot!

Here’s a run through of the events of this very exciting visit!

Vivienne Westwood’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection celebrates Vivienne’s personal wardrobe from the last four decades. Photographer Juergen Teller wanted to bring these reimagined pieces to life, and enlisted the help of a UK mannequin factory (aka us!!!) to help.

Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood’s husband and creative director, said of the shoot, 

At the beginning, we wanted to shoot the campaign as a still life, it seemed the best way to show off Vivienne’s reimagined wardrobe. Display dummies came to mind, and we checked out factories where they are made. We found one of the last remaining in England in the far east of London, we put together a cast and went there to shoot the new campaign.

Our factory, home to mannequin manufacturing techniques and materials such as fibreglass and papier-mache, was the perfect backdrop to this innovative campaign.

On Monday 30th October 2023, the day of the shoot, a large van full of wardrobe, accessories and tables, alongside the entire crew, arrived on our premises, signalling the start of the photo shoot.

Our spacious staff room, luckily full of natural light, was designated as the hub. With an entourage of approximately 30 people, the crew transformed the space into three distinct areas: wardrobe, wig and makeup, and accessories – the latter which was full of tables displaying a beautiful collection of bags.

We led the crew on a factory tour,giving them a briefing on our health and safety protocols and showcasing where the magic happens! In the wardrobe area, boards adorned with images of the meticulously curated outfits provided a glimpse into the artistic vision of the shoot. Every garment was carefully steamed in preparation for its moment in front of the camera.

Models, including the iconic Naomi Campbell and Penelope Tree, were photographed in the raw, unaltered state of the factory floor and spray booth. This location emphasised the authenticity of the shoot and allowed Teller to capture utterly organic images.

As the final images were captured, it became evident that our factory had not just been a location; it had become an integral part of the narrative, which was incredibly exciting and honouring to witness.

Following the shoot, Jeurgen Teller commented

The people in the factory were very welcoming and we could shoot in all their working places. It was very interesting and great to see how everything is made. We had a great day and such a pleasure to spend it with our cast as always.

Look out for more images of the campaign on our social pages soon, and if you’re looking for a unique backdrop for your photoshoot, contact us today!