Vivienne Westwood Dresses J Sheekey for 130th Anniversary Celebration

LONDON, June 9, 2026 — Vivienne Westwood has reimagined the outdoor terrace of J Sheekey to mark the 130th anniversary of the landmark London seafood restaurant, bringing the fashion house's archive "Evolution of Man" print into the dining room for a collaboration that runs through the end of summer. Characters from the print, first shown in the label's autumn 1996 menswear collection, now appear painted onto the restaurant's terrace windows, engraved on glassware and printed on terrace menus, tableware and linens.

The collaboration pairs two British institutions with deep roots in London's cultural and creative life. J Sheekey traces its origins to 1896, when the restaurant began as a market stall serving post-theatre suppers to actors and audiences in the heart of the West End. Vivienne Westwood, founded in the 1970s by Dame Vivienne Westwood who died in December 2022 built its identity around the same spirit of creative irreverence and British cultural identity the restaurant has long embodied.

Archive Print Meets Historic Dining Room

The "Evolution of Man" print places J Sheekey's terrace in direct conversation with 30-year-old archive material from one of British fashion's most distinctive houses. The characters from the print, which Westwood first presented in a menswear context, move across the restaurant's glass surfaces and into the fabric of the dining experience on the coasters guests rest their glasses on and the ceramics their food arrives in.

Alexander Krenn, senior designer at Vivienne Westwood, described the choice of print as deliberate and thematic. "To reflect culture moving from the past, through the present and into the future, we chose this archive design to dress the surroundings of J Sheekey," Krenn said. He described the restaurant as "a place where people meet, connect and spend wonderful hours together," adding that he and the team wanted to "celebrate a place of tradition and quality, where people can understand the world through theater and the arts."

Inside the restaurant, at the bar, a large ice carving of the Vivienne Westwood orb logo the brand's bejewelled sphere, one of the most recognisable symbols in British fashion sits alongside portraits of cultural figures on the wall, extending the collaboration beyond the terrace and into the interior.

Two British Institutions Mark a Shared Cultural Legacy

Richard Caring, chairman of Caprice Holdings, which owns J Sheekey, placed the partnership in the context of the restaurant's century-long relationship with London's creative world. "Few places have become woven into the cultural fabric of London in the way J Sheekey has over the last 130 years," Caring said. "The restaurant has always reflected the quintessence of the West End — creative, theatrical and full of character. We are honored to partner with Vivienne Westwood in our milestone year, another British institution defined by individuality, craftsmanship and an enduring influence on culture."

J Sheekey has occupied its position on St Martin's Court in Covent Garden for more than a century, serving the theatre-going crowd that fills the streets of the West End on any given evening. Its long list of regulars across that period has included actors, directors, writers and critics who made the restaurant part of the rhythm of a night at the theatre. That connection to London's performing arts culture gives the Westwood collaboration a natural resonance the "Evolution of Man" print, with its examination of cultural progression and change, suits a restaurant that has watched the West End evolve across 13 decades.

Cocktail Party Launch Brings Oysters and Black Velvet

The collaboration launched on Monday evening with a cocktail party on the Westwood-dressed terrace. Guests were served freshly shucked Jersey oysters, salt-and-pepper squid and Sheekey shrimp sliders alongside a cocktail menu that included drinks made with Tanqueray No. Ten gin and a Black Velvet the traditional combination of Guinness and Champagne as a nod to the restaurant's theatrical heritage.

For context on the British seafood traditions and classic oyster bar culture that have defined J Sheekey's menu for 130 years, HCP Good Food's seafood recipes collection captures the breadth of the cuisine the restaurant has long championed.

The Vivienne Westwood terrace installation at J Sheekey runs through the end of summer 2026. The restaurant is located at 28-32 St Martin's Court, London WC2N 4AL. Further information is available at j-sheekey.co.uk.

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