Vivienne Westwood's new campaign explores Italian punk with Ilona Staller Juergen Teller shot it in the showroom of Belloni, a centuries-old Lombard furniture company

«We are very happy and proud of the result, and glad that the 41-degree heat in which it was shot goes unnoticed», says creative director Andreas Kronthaler of the new Vivienne Westwood FW26-27 campaign. Shot between Milan and Como, at the showroom of Barlassina-based Italian furniture company Belloni, the images offer an unusual perspective on the maison's world while preserving all of its punk authenticity through an unconventional cast and an equally expressive collection. 

Juergen Teller's sharp, unflinching eye captures a cast made up of faces found on the street, friends of the brand, Kronthaler himself, and Ilona Staller, aka Cicciolina, set against gilded wooden furnishings, Art Deco furniture and rococo fabrics. Within this setting charged with an old-world energy, Staller radiates a light entirely her own, wearing black lace gloves, flower crowns and long, low-cut knit dresses from the latest Vivienne Westwood collection. 

«The style of the campaign is closely tied to the fact that I now live in Milan and in Italy - Kronthaler explains - The casting was fundamental in conveying this message, which is why we also asked Cicciolina to be part of it. I met her for the first time on set and thought she was a wonderful woman. An icon who brings everyone together».

It is precisely the contrast between the showroom's passé interiors and the casualness of the cast that allows each character's personality to shine through, with the punk maison's garments pushing to the fore the seductive and at times ambiguous allure of each individual. From draped, fringed or raw-seam dresses to corseted knitwear and the regal presence of Harris Tweed, the Westwood look comes through in full — unafraid to hold its own alongside a century-old Italian company's heritage, commanding attention even beside gilded damasks and trompe-l'œil decorations.