Westwood pushes climate agenda through fashion

MILAN (AP) — British designer Vivienne Westwood is never at a loss to speak her mind through fashion.

This round, she chooses the Milan runway as her megaphone to call for climate revolution.

"Climate revolution is the only means toward a sound economy. When the general public massively switches on to this fact we will win," she said in her fashion notes, which accompanied her winter 2014 menswear collection previewed Sunday.

Models with puffed lips and painted black eyes looked like they had just come from fighting the designer's battle, as they marched down the runway in low-crotched pants, a long-tailed morning coat, shiny orange fluorescent lace-ups and an oversized, wide-brimmed felt hat.

Throughout the collection, revolutionary slogans calling for an end to the climate crisis were printed on white T-shirts.

While asking others to get their economic priorities straight, Westwood made her own contribution to the cause. A special edition bag, produced in Kenya through the United Nations International Trade Center Ethical Fashion Program, was featured in the show.