Highsnobiety
Double Tap to Zoom

If you thought the anti-establishment fire inside Vivienne Westwood might be petering out now that she's 80-years-old, then think again.

Yesterday, the British fashion legend joined Julian Assange's fiancée and other supporters at a protest picnic that marked the jailed Wikileaks founder's 50th birthday. Standing opposite London parliament, Westwood — a long-time advocate for Assange's release — took the novel approach of smearing cake on her face to draw attention to the situation (it worked, right?), before declaring how the "world is sick." Watch the video courtesy of High Fashion Talk below.

This is the third birthday Assange has spent inside London's maximum-security prison Belmarsh. He is currently fighting extradition to the US where he faces charges under the Espionage Act, which brings a possible life sentence at a supermax prison. In January, an official request for extradition was denied by a London court on citation of his mental health. That decision was appealed by the US, and a justice department official confirmed to The Guardian that President Biden intends to have Assange stand trial on counts of espionage. Former UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called the initial decision "good news," but warned it was "alarming that the judge has accepted US government arguments threatening freedom of speech and freedom to publish."

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Twitter post.

Westwood's support for her friend Assange stretches back to 2012 when she made "I'm Julian Assange" T-shirts. She dedicated her SS17 collection to the whistleblower, and then came last year's giant birdcage protest outside the Old Bailey Courthouse. Evidently, this is a fight the godmother of punk won't be giving up anytime soon.

We Recommend
  • Remember Vivienne Westwood's Excellent ASICS Sneakers? Imagine Them in Leather
    • Sneakers
  • Anyone Else Notice Dave Free’s Space Age Watch at the Grammys?
    • Watches
  • LVMH Watch Week 2025 Doubles Down on Bling & Nostalgia
    • Watches
  • The Extreme Craftsmanship of a Swiss Watch In a GORE-TEX Boot
    • Footwear
  • Julian Klincewicz Reimagines Creativity With the New Google Pixel 9 Pro
    • Design
    • sponsored
What To Read Next
  • Jordan’s Low-Rise Hybrid Becomes an Ultra-Clean Classic in "White Cement"
    • Sneakers
  • The Original Tom Sachs Nike Sneaker Suddenly Returns to Earth
    • Sneakers
  • adidas' Slick Suede Sneaker Is a Samba if It Were Smokin'
    • Sneakers
  • Shrinking UNIQLO's Best Bag Is the Only Way to Make It Bigger
    • Style
  • This Classic Nike Sneaker's Game Days Are Over. Its Fashion Era Has Just Begun
    • Sneakers
  • Nike's Insanely Fire "Volcano" Air Max Sneaker Finally Erupts
    • Sneakers