Vivienne’s Diary: 26 October – 14 November

This jacket was too small in the waist., so we never made one to fit him

Friday, 26 October: From work we biked over to Belgravia. My friend Steve’s party. Large drawing room, 30 odd people – possible to sit – servants, buffet with exquisite food, conversation: rich society people from different countries who contribute to charities, diplomats, property developers, people who buy art, artists. I talked to a man from the UN who works in Africa. A teenage Asian boy (fashionable) was introduced to me and he was so sweet, having to cope with his outrageous father – who has tried to buy (offering many thousands) some of our amazing “Man” show pieces for his personal wear.

Saturday, 27 – Tuesday, 30 October: I must now be quick with the diary. I am so busy – you will see. Therefore, not much detail except for outstanding events.

Reading, writing up last blog, knitwear designs; best time Sunday evening dinner with friends at my friend Giselle’s cosy home.

Wednesday, 31 October: Short film for Amnesty: my freedom to think and do in contrast to the terrible things that happen to people. I talked about kindness. Kindness is what makes us human and our intelligence is rooted in empathy, putting ourselves in somebody else’s shoes we start to understand. The film ended with the stark detail of what happened to Azza Suleiman for helping someone. Human rights are part of Climate Revolution because it will lead to a better world.

After work, I called in to see Renaud Poutot, a designer of specialty bikes, who wants to give me a bike – but these were so luxurious I wouldn’t know quite what to do with one and I like my own bike. I will think about it.

Then on to the Harper’s “Woman of the Year” awards at Claridges. Sitting next to Dinos Chapman, I mentioned in passing that I hate America. Chrissy Blake, wife of Peter Blake, the artist, berated me, “You can’t hate America. The music! You can’t hate a country!” I think I can hate a country, at the same time as not hating every person in it. Myself, I am very grateful to the hippies who politicized my generation – not only in America, but worldwide. I would guess that half the NGO’s in the world are American and these are people who are trying to right the wrongs of US and world policy.

My heroes are “Hanoi Jane” Fonda and Gore Vidal, who fought American injustice. As well as the American Indian Movement, Leonard Peltier, Black Equal Rights Movement, Martin Luther King. When JFK started to see through the hypocrisy; that made him a danger to the status quo – and that’s why I believe he was killed.

It is the case that foreign policy in the west is determined by the US and that it dominates world policy institutions. Europe follows its economic rules and China copies it.

Though most American have never been out of the country, they believe America owns the world. What’s good for America is good for God. And for this reason, they are the most hypocritical country. I shall, however, let you know what I think of England and its hypocrisy. After I have read Gareth Pierce’s “Dispatches from the Dark Side” and I might ask Julian Assange what he thinks.

Meanwhile, in the US, across the board of all criminal trials, the number of people pleading guilty is 97%. This statistic speaks for itself.

As for music, black music and Elvis. Elvis was a talent as great as any great opera singer. I’m not so sure about Hollywood, their horrible hamburgers and their drones.

I received an award for inspiring people. So in my speech I talked about “Cool Earth” (I hope we get some contributions to save the rainforest) and the Climate Revolution. Alice Dellal presented me with the award.

The evening actually was on a very high level because of the calibre of the recipients of the awards. The most serious honour (for journalists) was awarded posthumously to brave Marie Colvin and the acceptance speech on her behalf by war photographer Don McCullen was proud and heroic: regarding the Syrian oppressor Assad, “We will continue our reports; we will get them in the end.” There was a dazzling woman, I didn’t know who she was although I now realize I had seen her starring in a film on Edith Piaf. She was Marion Cotillard who was given the International Actor of the Year Award. Ralf Fiennes gave the encomium: he loved her for her spirit, the loving and generous life force which flowed through her; on her way to being photographed, she stopped and bent over our table, telling me she could not sacrifice the opportunity of telling me she adored and admired me for my commitments. I was thrilled by her beauty; in a strapless dress, black taffeta all gathered up in the front and all around, she quite overwhelmed me, her pale arms and her face of sincere animation. I quite understood what Ralf Fiennes had said and I would love to meet her again. Other recipients basked in the glow of the Olympics and the Queen was awarded Woman of the Year but, as MC David Walliams explained: she was unable to accept the award in person as she was double booked at the Queen Awards. I must thank David Bailey for the photos he took of me for the magazine. I did see Bella Freud at the awards and thanked her for the article.

Friday, 2 November: Special. Lorna Tucker came to see me. She spent six months and managed to get permission to see Leonard Peltier for three consecutive days. She is making a film on Leonard and she wanted to film me talking about him. Leonard still hopes to get out and not die in jail. She brought me up to date with his chances. It was heart breaking to listen to her telling all the things he’d like to do – the enthusiasm and the frustration of a man so powerfully caring about living a good life. I felt so upset when she told me that when Clinton promised to let him out with his presidential prerogative on leaving office, Leonard didn’t believe it at first but at last he did and bought a new suit. Clinton changed his mind. Lorna is hoping to be able to film Leonard.

Dear Leonard, I will say this on your film: the reason Leonard Peltier is still in jail is because he will not admit to a crime he didn’t do. If they keep you in jail you are guilty. “America is never wrong”. If they let you out then you are innocent and the FBI is guilty.

Saturday, 3 November: We are going to India tomorrow for Naomi Campbell’s party for her boyfriend, Vlad and I wanted to look at Indian art before I go. I have not visited India before because I have not yet been impressed by their art.

The printed fabrics which they exported to Europe during the 18^th century are very fine, very attractive. Apart from that I know photos of the erotic sculptures and bas reliefs from their temples and I would love to see the temple dancing but I will miss it as it only happens at certain festivals. Generally in a museum I pass through collections of Indian art without attraction. The Hindu gods and the Buddhas just haven’t lit a spark. They might.

I met my son, Ben, and his girlfriend at the V&A. However, I did not see Indian art at the V&A this Saturday because I stopped at Islamic art and it was fascinating. So meticulous: brocades, tiles, ceramics, carpets, metal inlays – mindbogglingly beautifully crammed with the finest detail – it must have taken years to make a bowl, pierced metals and their wooden minbar made with little stars and crosses of wood fitted together; geometric but also lots of figurative work. The Arabs were great fans of Chinese ceramics and were inspired by them (the vases as well). What makes Chinese art so great is its spontaneity: the artist studies and absorbs and practices and then does it in one go. The greatest expressions of the spirit ever achieved. I must come back for the Indian art.

Sunday, 4 November: To India. Highlights: We are not in the main hotel (enormous) but in a smaller one where Andreas chose our rooms – in fact a little house at tree level, one of several with Indian themed individual décor. He especially loved getting up (before me), opening the door, letting in the sun and sitting on the balcony, making notes, drinking tea and listening to the chirping of the sparrows as they hopped from branch to branch in the bougainvillea vines. A visit to the market, thronging with people – women in bright saris or full Rajasthani skirts.This dress lends women such grace. I love the way the end of the wrapped cloth veils the head and shoulders from the sun as they move, hold this with their expressive hands and then look up with their eyes so animated. They are buying Indian bling and cheap mass produced rubbish, everything brightly coloured – it was a special festival day. Then up to the Mehrangarh fort which stands on a great outcrop of rock towering over Jodhpur.

On the way up we branched off onto another hill to look at a mausoleum of the famous 15^th century fighter who had built the fort. Walking up to it was a lake ringed by hills with a wall all along the ridge. I have never been in a more quiet and peaceful situation as I stood a long time overlooking the lake with its dragonflies and swallows and waterfowl. The air was so still.

Then back up to the fort which was being decorated for Vlad’s party – flowers everywhere, mostly strung on strings and garlands and hanging like tassels and amongst the columns of flowers mounds of chillies; in a large courtyard were cushions and couches and carpets where later that night all we guests would sit feasting and drinking. We continued our journey through the rooms with the other tourists and I can’t remember one room or artefact because I saw nothing to like amongst all the ancient paraphernalia. So far in India I’ve only seen bling. The architecture of the fort relied on patterned permutations of pierced brickwork for embelishment. It was a mess.

Mehrangarh fort, Jodhpur – lit up for the party

That night, we were all dressed in Indian costumes for the party. Michael Howard, the creative director for Dior, must have worked for weeks. The lighting and décor of the fort and the events were amazing: up along the internal ramps leading to the courtyard dozens of drummers accelerating, ever more frighteningly, horses, camels caparisoned in mirrors and tassels, dancers, acrobats, fire-eaters, ladies throwing rose petals; great posters painted by people from the Indian film industry. Vlad was Bond and Naomi was his Bond

Bob Geldof took this picture of Quincy Jones and me at Vlad’s party on the 2nd night of festivities

girl, the title “Bond is Back”. Part of the attraction of their romance must be the idea of the glamorous couple. And, because of the thronging festivities we felt like we were in a film set. That’s enough then, it’s too much for me to go on about except to say that Diana Ross took a fancy to Andreas and he politely got on stage with her for a minute or two. Thank you, Naomi, for the invitation. She mentioned that she’s going to do some charity work in India about waste recycling. The rest of our stay was full of events, so jam packed that you never could hear enough to talk with anyone.

I did manage to talk to David X Prutting who was the official photographer. He told me he finished his studies in America by joining a state run semester on a ship, 100 days with visits to foreign countries. It changed his life; it opened his eyes and he knew he wanted to be a photojournalist. When he visited India, he went in to photograph and meet the lowest class, who clean up the shit. He loved them; they were the only people who never asked him for money. Like everyone, he found it hard to cope with the poverty. David said, “The way to deal with it is to accept it for yourself, to take it into yourself, to say yes, this is a life, to respect.” I asked him why I hadn’t seen it in Jodhpur – it’s in the country; people are poor but they find a way (our taxi driver had six children and paid for his two boys to go to school; state education is too poor for children to learn).

Thursday, 8 November: I talked with bob Geldof coming home – he’s full of interesting experience and I would love to talk to him more when we both have more time. He gave me an idea which I’ll talk about when I deal with it.

Friday, 9 – Tuesday, 13 November: Caught up with our designs, had jet lag for 24 hours (Saturday), tidied up the Climate Revolution charter and drew the snakes which eat each other’s tail .

Wednesday, 14 November: To Rome for a conference on luxury goods hosted by the International Herald Tribune fashion editor, Suzy Menkes. Suzy is so inspired by our project designing bags which are made in Africa that she really wanted us at this conference which was focussed on Africa. We met some of our dear friends from the project there. Andreas and I were supposed to talk at 4.30 on Thursday. I went first. I talked about climate change, which I hope punctured the complacency of some of the speakers who seemed to focus their hopes for the future on the emerging middle class consumer in Africa. My speech turned out to be popular (http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/we-will-not-save-the-world-by-fashion/) and Suzy responded to the applause by dramatically finishing it there and moving onto the next speaker. I was sorry not to hear Andreas and what he might have said. He had wanted to talk about the people we met in Africa.

View of Rome from our hotel

On the plane and during my trip I read a report on the extractive industry, which our economy is based on (as well as farming and agriculture). It was commissioned and given to me by the Gaia Foundation (inspired by the Gaia theory). You can download the executive summary, http://www.gaiafoundation.org/executive-summary-opening-pandoras-box or purchase directly from the Gaia Foundation, www.gaiafoundation.org.

Here are some of the statistics and my comments: Coal is easily the worst polluter and cause of sickness and devastation, estimated to cost, e.g. the US public one third – a half trillion dollars a year. These costs are termed “externalities” because the profits of the coal industry are calculated without them. Coal is widely distributed and at present rates of consumption it could last 100 years.

Cheap oil has peaked; as a result, companies now penetrate more difficult areas to find deposits causing far more devastation to the environment, e.g. Arab (conventional) oil costs US$20 per barrel compared to $70 for deep offshore and $90 for Canadian tar sands oil.

The main metals will last between 12 and 50 years, but new technological developments will allow access to deposits which are inaccessible at present. Taking copper as an example, ore mined 100 years ago contained about 3% copper. It is today typically 0.3% (causing 10 times the damage) and ore with this ratio will last 41 years. Then onto what – greater damage, that’s the idea.

Tellurium, an essential component of solar panel technology, is a by-product of copper extraction; like many technology minerals it is not mined for itself. And at the moment it is so cheap that profits are almost negligible – this may be because, as I read recently, investors are stockpiling copper.

In today’s chronic financial crisis the instability of the stock market pushes investment towards commodities (energy, food, metals) which are a safer investment than equities, e.g. people will always want copper – even though difficult to access on a finite planet.

For the past 10 years corporations have been venturing into the most difficult areas to find deposits. This involves expertise, capital and risk taking and is being driven by investors and speculators who consider it the best place to put their money. In the search for growth, the financial world is extracting on a scale way beyond human need.

The earth cannot support the damage being done to her and to the life systems she supports, e.g. “fracking”: the amount of water used is far more valuable than the gas it yields. Also the toxic chemicals used in fracking can spill or leach into the water table which then poisons the land. There are cases of so much methane in the water that the tap water catches fire.

Mountain Top Removal (MTR) – as much as 800 feet have been cut/blown off the tops of mountains to get at deposits. It has been estimated that among the 1.2 million people living in central Appalachian communities affected by MTR, there were an additional 60,000 cases of cancer directly related to the practice.

These are two examples of governments acting in the interest of corporations, not caring about people. They will have to switch allegiance: Climate Revolution.

Information separate to the report and a cause for hope: Steven Cowley, Director of the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy (the UK national fusion research laboratory) and CEO of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, is working on fusion. He says, “Fusion is the perfect energy source – doesn’t take up much space, is safe, has a virtually inexhaustible supply, doesn’t put carbon onto the atmosphere, doesn’t have radioactive waste. But fusion is hard to do.” He thinks it will take 20 years before it can be used. (Watch his TED talk http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_cowley_fusion_is_energy_s_future.html ). The basic science has been cracked by the Culham Centre’s Joint European Torus (JET) – to obtain fusion energy and stabilize it so it can be used requires a temperature of 100 million degrees centigrade!. Cowley thinks future energy sources are limited to renewables, fission (nuclear) and fusion (The alchemists claimed their work resulted from fusion.)