How does the haute couture auction market work?

For many, Vivienne Westwood is a Rococo corset, the Sovereign Globe of the Crown Jewels, the colour red, safety pins, the Sex Pistols, the irreverence of her early boutiques, environmental activism. The designer's imagery, sometimes elegantly packaged, sometimes deliberately patched up, has over time constructed an outwardly grumpy universe that at its core retains an inclusive and smiling positivity, looking at social problems as an obstacle to be tackled, not dodged. While Westwood's anti-climate change projects continue to evolve over time, even after her passing, her clothes remain stationary in time, designs and fabrics seemingly immobile. Stationary, we say, because her legacy is well kept alive by designers such as Marc Jacobs - who paid tribute to the designer in his last SS23 show, quoting the Westwood's silhouettes in his looks with great respect - and by the work of museums and auction houses, who maintain her most prized pieces with the utmost dedication, turning them into works of art. But how do you put a monetary value on an artist who changed the world?

«Just as with all other art forms, when a fashion designer dies, their work increases in value,» explained Lucy Bishop, specialist and auctioneer of Kerry Taylor Auctions, "the increase in value, however, is not always as great as people assume.» Founded in 2003, the auction house was launched by Kerry Taylor specialising in antique costumes and establishing itself from the outset as an internationally renowned pioneer in its field. Among the many high-profile auctions Bishop has worked on are the sale of the wardrobes of such notables as Princess Diana, Björk, Amy Winehouse, and Winston Churchill, as well as the biannual 'Passion for Fashion' sales, which present clients with a selection of contemporary and vintage haute couture. For Bishop and the auction house, the passing of a great designer such as Westwood certainly represents a bitter event, but also an increased amount of work. In recent years, following the passing of renowned designers such as Issey Miyake, Karl Lagerfeld and Hubert de Givenchy, it has been museums and companies such as Kerry Taylor that have been tasked with honouring their work, offering the public and potential investors the opportunity to admire their legacy up close. «When an important designer dies, we anticipate a flurry of people contacting us wanting to consign pieces by them for sale,» explained Lucy Bishop, «but Vivienne Westwood's work has always been coveted and high in value.»

A good Vivienne Westwood corset, 'Portrait' collection, Autumn-Winter 1990-91. Sold: £6,000, 2021

A fine Westwood/McLaren 'Nostalgia of Mud' (Buffalo) ensemble, Autumn-Winter 1982-83. Sold: £15,000, 2018

A fine Westwood/McLaren 'Nostalgia of Mud' (Buffalo) ensemble, Autumn-Winter 1982-83. Sold: £15,000, 2018

A rare complete Vivienne Westwood 'Pirate' ensemble, Autumn-Winter, 1981-82. Sold: £13,000, 2011

According to past auctions, Gen Z's great interest in Punk style has significantly helped increasing the value of Westwood's signature designs, thanks to their popularity on social media, where media such as the Japanese anime Nana - which tells the story of a Punk band dressed entirely in Westwood garb - have been very successful. «Vivienne Westwood has been enjoying increased demand for her designs from the 1980s and 1990s the past two years in particular, especially for her corsets,» Bishop explained, «It's been wonderful to see a new generation discovering and appreciating her work.» As a result of the strong demand, Westwood's designer pieces have experienced significant growth, which Bishop predicts will continue. «It will be interesting to see what results Westwood's pieces achieve in our upcoming 21st March sale, which will be the first since her passing.» The starting price of the garments designed by the British designer, as with all the clothes and accessories that have been auctioned by Kerry Taylor in the past, will be set «based on expertise and realistic market expectations».

Not long ago, Kerry Taylor hosted an auction of the personal items of Pamela Rooke, the model and actress famous for her inimitable style that together with Westwood made Punk an iconic movement. Before launching the auction, Kerry Taylor organised two days of displays as usual, giving a large audience of subculture fans the chance to see unique and original items from Rooke's Punk legacy. «It was a great honour for us to be personally chosen by Jordan (Pamela Rooke),» said Bishop, «if you're lucky enough to live in London, it really is an incredible opportunity to be able to see garments you would otherwise only be able to view through the glass cases in museums or the pages of history books.» An example? The 'Venus' t-shirt, a pin-striped, aggressive-looking top created by Westwood and her partner Malcolm McLaren in 1975, sold in 2015 for £22,000.

Jordan's fine and rare Westwood/McLaren Let It Rock 'Venus' t-shirt, 1975. Sold: £22,000, 2015

Jordan's Westwood/McLaren SEX Original black leather fetish capelet and leather skirt, 1975. Sold: £2,800. June 2015.

A good and rare Vivienne Westwood lace-knit wool dress, 'On Liberty' collection, Autumn-Winter 1994-95. Sold: £4,200 hammer

A good and rare Vivienne Westwood lace-knit wool dress, 'On Liberty' collection, Autumn-Winter 1994-95. Sold: £4,200 hammer

A good and rare Vivienne Westwood lace-knit wool dress, 'On Liberty' collection, Autumn-Winter 1994-95. Sold: £4,200 hammer

A Vivienne Westwood flocked tulle dress, 'Salon' collection, Spring-Summer 1992. Sold: £4,500 hammer, Dec 2020

A Vivienne Westwood flocked tulle dress, 'Salon' collection, Spring-Summer 1992. Sold: £4,500 hammer, Dec 2020

A Vivienne Westwood flocked tulle dress, 'Salon' collection, Spring-Summer 1992. Sold: £4,500 hammer, Dec 2020

Just like in the art world, Kerry Taylor sells clothes for third parties, and it is therefore difficult for them to predict what will fall into their hands in the coming months, or which lucky person will bring it to their studio. «People contact us from all over the world with pieces they wish to sell,» Bishop explained, «the range of clients we have is very diverse - you never know what treasures someone might have forgotten in their wardrobe!» For now, it is not certain what will happen to Dame Vivienne Westwood's personal items, even for an expert like Bishop. «It goes without saying that it would be a great honour to handle Dame Vivienne's personal collection, but I suspect that it will be kept within the family,  or additional donations will be made to museums,» she explained, «Dame Vivienne had already generously donated many important pieces to the Victoria & Albert Museum during her lifetime.»

Westwood's legacy is vast, and has coloured the history of fashion from the 1970s to the present day with extraordinary originality, dictated by a driving force that touches the lives of few: rebellion. To encapsulate her legacy in a few words or images is impossible, because her career has been marked by contrasting elements such as the extreme elegance of her clothes and the unstoppable tenacity with which the Lady of Punk brought subcultures to the forefront of haute couture. What is certain is that, if today we can speak of inclusion even in an elitist and notoriously snobbish environment, if fashion has finally managed to find a space for environmentalist causes, it is thanks to her. Westwood has never stopped believing in a better future, demonstrating it through her clothes, her protests, and her words, such as those quoted by Marc Jacobs in his latest show: "Fashion makes life better, and I think it's a beautiful and generous thing to do for others".