Fugitive Julian Assange to star at London Fashion Week as a model and muse with catwalk coming to the Ecuadorean Embassy
- Wikileaks founder wanted for extradition to Sweden on sex assault charges
- Sought asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London two years ago
- Has cost the British taxpayer £6m in police bills since then
- He will be joined at the embassy by six models to show off outfits designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood's son Ben
- George Clooney and fiancee Amal Alamuddin invited to attend
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is planning to take part in London Fashion Week as a model
Julian Assange is still cocking a snook at the establishment. The Australian founder of WikiLeaks, who has cost the British taxpayer £6million in police bills since seeking asylum in the Ecuadorean Embassy two years ago, continues to receive celebrity visitors such as Lady Gaga and hold press conferences via video link.
But in his most brazen move yet, I hear he is planning to take part in London Fashion Week as a model.
Assange, wanted for extradition to Sweden on sex assault charges, will not even have to risk arrest by leaving his bolt-hole, as the catwalk is coming to him.
Assange, 42, will be joined at the embassy — opposite Harrods — by six models to show off outfits designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood’s son, Ben.
The clothes have been inspired by actor Clint Eastwood’s costume in his spaghetti western films, and the show will be accompanied by music from The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.
Hollywood actor George Clooney and his lawyer fiancee, Amal Alamuddin — who has acted as part of Assange’s defence team — have been invited to attend.
Ben Westwood, 51, says: ‘I want to highlight Julian Assange’s plight. What happened to him is totally unfair.’
He adds that inspiration for some of the clothes on show has come from Assange himself and his combat/beret look.
‘I’ve designed something for him along those lines and will be getting him to wear it,’ says Ben.
‘I’ve got another garment with a Julian Assange print.’
Assange, 42, will be joined at the embassy - opposite Harrods - by six models to show off outfits designed by Dame Vivienne Westwood's son, Ben
Ben Westwood, 51, (left) says he wants to highlight Assange's plight, and that some of the inspiration for the clothes has come from Assange (right) himself
The show, in September, will be a fringe event for London Fashion Week.
‘Julian’s been in the embassy for two years and it’s important that he doesn’t slip into obscurity,’ adds Ben.
Assange is not known for having any fashion sense. Author Andrew o’Hagan, who was hired to ghost-write his memoirs before falling out with him, noted how Assange wore suit trousers over a pair of Tesco tracksuit bottoms.
Which might explain his appeal to Ben’s mother Vivienne, who was an early supporter of Assange and designed an ‘I am Julian Assange’ T-shirt with which she closed her London Fashion Show two years ago.
Hollywood actor George Clooney and his lawyer fiancee, Amal Alamuddin - who has acted as part of Assange's defence team - have been invited to attend the show
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