In the new issue of AnOther Magazine, Cora Corré talks about how her mother Serena Rees and grandmother Vivienne Westwood “have never given in”
This article is taken from the Autumn/Winter 2023 issue of AnOther Magazine:
“I was fortunate to be raised by truly inspirational women. My maternal grandmother, Bridget, came from a humble family but she went to Cambridge. At 86, she is still writing books for her friends to enjoy. Her daughter Serena, my mother, is another force to be reckoned with. The way she and my father brought me up while running Agent Provocateur was truly uplifting — not only was my mother a loving parent, but she also showed me the importance of pursuing my dreams, of perseverance, no matter what life throws at you. A female powerhouse and kick-ass businesswoman, she used to take me in my baby carrier everywhere she went to keep me close to her while at work. Vivienne Westwood, my other grandmother, has certainly inspired many – a woman in the sea of men that is fashion. I loved how we would challenge each other’s opinions, the way she prompted me to always do and be better. On or off the runway, Vivienne dedicated herself to disrupting the status quo, relentlessly striving for change through her activism, and she stayed true to her creative vision, mission and values until the very end. The women in my life have never given in. They have stuck to their guns at all costs.”
For the 26-year-old model Cora Corré, leveraging her platform to address issues affecting the lives of people around the world is a moral obligation that stems directly from her upbringing. The granddaughter of the fashion designer and activist Vivienne Westwood, she grew up in a household where, she says, “conversations encompassed anything from climate change to politics, human rights and capitalism”. Having learnt to use her voice to advocate for herself and those who aren’t afforded the same privilege, Corré raises awareness of systemic violence against marginalised communities, forced migration and environmental emergencies. Having made her runway debut at the age of four, walking alongside Veruschka in the Vivienne Westwood Autumn/Winter 2001 show, she signed with Next Model Management in 2014 and has since worked with photographers including David Bailey, Alasdair McLellan and Sølve Sundsbø. Today, together with her father and uncle, she helms The Vivienne Foundation, the not-for-profit organisation founded by the late designer “to create a better society and halt climate change”. Corré is part of a young generation of activists leading the fight for a truly sustainable, fairer future – “Because, as my grandma used to say, ‘Tomorrow is too late.’”
Hair: Sophie Jane Anderson at Future Rep using Got2Be by SCHWARZKOPF. Make-up: India Excell using TOM FORD BEAUTY
This story features in the Autumn/Winter 2023 issue of AnOther Magazine, which is on sale now. Order here.
