A decade after casting gay porn star Colby Keller in one of its campaigns, British fashion house Vivienne Westwood has once again turned to the adult entertainment industry for inspiration.
The brand's newly unveiled Fall/Winter 2026-27 campaign stars Ilona Staller, better known as Cicciolina, the Hungarian-born former porn star who became one of the world's most recognizable adult film performers in the 1980s and later served in the Italian Parliament.
Photographed by Juergen Teller, the 74-year-old appears surrounded by gilded wooden furniture, Art Deco pieces and Rococo-inspired fabrics, wearing black lace gloves, her signature floral crown and plunging knit dresses from the new collection.
The campaign was photographed at the showroom of Italian furniture company Belloni in the town of Barlassina.
“The result fills us with joy and pride, and we're delighted you can't tell it was shot in 41-degree heat,” creative director Andreas Kronthaler, the late Vivienne Westwood's longtime partner, said in a statement.
“The style of the campaign is closely tied to the fact that I now live in Italy. Casting was central to communicating that message, so we wanted Cicciolina to be part of it. I met her for the first time on set and thought she was a wonderful woman, an icon who brings everyone together.”
Born in Budapest, Hungary, Staller first rose to prominence in Italy as a radio host before launching a career in adult films.
Jean Paul Gaultier and Cicciolina, 1995
(Photo: Herwig Prammer, Reuters)
In 1987, she made headlines worldwide after being elected to the Italian Parliament as a member of the Radical Party, becoming one of the few porn stars ever to serve as a lawmaker.
Throughout her career, she cultivated a theatrical image featuring platinum wigs, corsets, lace, feathers and flower crowns, an aesthetic that later made her a cult fashion figure.
She married American artist Jeff Koons in 1991. Their three-year marriage produced a son, Ludwig, and inspired a controversial collaborative art series.
Designers including Jean Paul Gaultier and Jeremy Scott have cited her blend of sexuality, humor and kitsch as an influence. In recent years, she has become a regular guest at Milan Fashion Week, and the new Westwood campaign further reinforces her status as a fashion icon.
(Photo: AP)
It is not the first time Vivienne Westwood has featured adult performers in its advertising.
In 2016, the brand cast gay porn actor Colby Keller in a provocative campaign that included frontal male nudity.
More recently, Italian porn star Rocco Siffredi walked in Dsquared2's Spring/Summer 2024 show, while former porn star Mia Khalifa appeared on the runway for Trashy Clothing during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year.
As debates over sexuality and gender become increasingly politicized, fashion continues to use the body as a form of cultural and political expression.
The industry has a long tradition of embracing provocative figures who challenge conventions and embody authenticity, fetish culture and devoted fan communities. Former and current adult film stars are increasingly viewed not only through the lens of their profession but also as symbols of empowerment and a celebrity culture in which the lines between influencers, OnlyFans creators and fashion icons continue to blur.