Dame Vivienne Westwood showcased her latest collection but turned out to be the star of the show herself when she appeared on the catwalk wrapped up in a banner bearing the words “climate revolution” and bearing lots of flesh underneath.

Before we’ve had class war, we’ve had rich against poor, do you know what the division is now? It’s idiots against eco-warriors. That’s it

The environmental champion said she had nothing to say about her clothes but did offer her opinion on the furore over the topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge.

She said: “They have to protect their privacy somehow because if they don’t do it now, then it’s a total free-for-all.

“They probably don’t care at all really.

“Once I got an OBE and I didn’t have any knickers, and the Queen loved it.

“Somebody who worked with her said it was one of their best investitures for giving people medals. They loved it.”

The Red Label show saw models in straw boater hats and ladylike twinsets in pastel colours with a “royal gardens” theme.

They contrasted with the edgier and elegant evening wear which came next, made up of monochrome cocktail dresses and jumpsuits.

Models had their entire faces painted in bright colours while many had grey hair styled like the wigs of Georgian gentlemen.

The show was staged in typical theatrical style in the grand splendour of the Grade I-listed 19th-century Durbar Court inside the Foreign Office on Whitehall.

Speaking ahead of the show, which came on the third day of London Fashion Week, Westwood insisted showing her clothes simply provided her with a platform to talk about climate change.

“It’s my job and it gives me an excuse,” she said.

“Before we’ve had class war, we’ve had rich against poor, do you know what the division is now? It’s idiots against eco-warriors. That’s it.”

Westwood has previously suggested Kate was not stylish enough to wear one of her creations but said she did not have anything more to add on the topic.

Westwood, who unravelled herself from the banner at the end of the show to reveal a T-shirt and shorts with tights pulled up over them, added of Kate: “It’s great to show off your figure if you’re beautiful.”

But she said the main thing she wanted to talk about was how to save the planet.

“I want to use this to talk about climate change, which is an incredible danger because in one generation there could be mass extinction. It’s already started so I have started the climate revolution.”

Asked about the show itself, she said: “The one thing I could say is that it’s a ladies fashion show. I really don’t like women who try to be men, and all these politicians, I think they’re horrendous. We’ve got this terrible male vision of destroying things and so women better sort themselves out and become more womanly.

“We could have the most wonderful future instead of being an endangered species. Please consider if you want to have children.”

In the front row of the show was Jo Wood, who said afterwards: “I love all the looks – housewifey, 1950s – great.

“There was a beautiful dress, there were lots of things I liked, and the scarves around their necks, and the pearl necklace.”

Meanwhile pop star Pixie Lott was a guest at the Temperley London show at a venue near Covent Garden.

The label is a favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, who wore a blue lace dress by the designer when she visited Kuala Lumpur just a few days ago.

The royal has also worn her outfits on many other occasions while her sister Pippa Middleton is also a fan, attending the show at London Fashion Week last September and wearing one of the dresses during the evening of Kate and William’s wedding.

Recently designer Alice Temperley revealed they were “wonderful girls to dress and wonderful girls to be around”.

She also designed the decadent gown Kate wore to the premiere of the War Horse film earlier this year, with pictures of the Duchess beamed around the world.

Temperley’s spring/summer 2013 collection showcased the Somerset-bred designer’s typical understated elegance with feminine full dresses and 1950s shapes.

Lott said: “It was amazing, all of it.

“I loved the white lacy Marilyn Monroe gloves. I always come to the shows, I always wear the dresses and I was really impressed today. I love British fashion.”