Vivienne Westwood, the British fashion designer who became one of the central figures in the punk movement of the 1970s, died Thursday at age 81. The company she founded with Malcolm McLaren — who managed Sex Pistols and was also her partner at one point — announced her death on Twitter.
“Vivienne Westwood, one of the true pioneers in fashion and culture,” followed up with a picture of Westwood wearing a red jumpsuit.
Together they launched Westwood’s label, Vivienne Westwood Red Label, which she named after her grandmother’s sewing machine brand. The clothes quickly became synonymous with rebellion and anti-establishment values – which were further accentuated by their use by bands like The Clash and Siouxsie & The Banshees.
It’s hard to imagine a more fitting tribute than this: Westwood came to fame in London’s punk scene in the mid-1970s, along with Malcolm McLaren. She came from a working-class background and was born Vivienne Isabel Swire on April 8, 1941, in Tintwistle, Derbyshire, England. Her parents moved around frequently for work when she was young. In 1959, they settled in another small town called Leek Wootton, where she attended school until 1960 when her family moved again before settling down permanently at Banbury by 1962.
After graduating, she studied fashion at Croydon Art College and began selling clothes while working as a model.
Her Designs were Favorites
Westerners love her designs, as do people in Eastern countries like China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. As a result, she is one of the most influential designers in history. She has won several awards for her work, including an Order of the British Empire (OBE) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Some famous people who wore her designs include Siouxsie Sioux, Johnny Rotten (singer), Lady GaGa, and Rihanna. Another list includes Michelle Obama; Kate Moss; Charlotte Rampling; Rene Russo; Naomi Campbell; Kanye West; Bono from U2.
When McLaren opened his boutique SEX on London’s King’s Road, they began making T-shirts featuring slogans such as DESTROY and rude graphics by artist Jamie Reid, who was part of their circle.
Westwood has been making headlines for decades. She was named British Designer of the Year in 1997, awarded an OBE in 2001, and made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2010. In 2015, Westwood was awarded an honorary degree from Brunel University London for her outstanding contribution to fashion.
Westwood married musician Andreas Kronthaler, and they had two children together before separating in 2009; they remain good friends and business partners.
The store’s notoriety soon made it clear that if they wanted to keep selling T-shirts, they would have to start making them themselves. And so Westwood learned to cut patterns and sew. Westwood opened her first store in 1971 when she sold clothes made by friends or family members at their homes or local factories—all while raising two children on her own (her husband Malcolm McLaren died in 2010). In 2007, she started making shoes under the name Supreme New York; they cost hundreds of dollars each, but have become so popular that there’s now even a waiting list!
Westwood launched her fashion label in 1975. She started making her clothes because she couldn’t find anything that suited her style and taste. She had been designing clothes since childhood, so it seemed like the natural thing for her to do!
She Approached Fashion as a Form of Self-expression
Vivienne Westwood was a fashion icon and cultural pioneer known for her unique designs and the way she used clothing to express herself. She saw fashion as a form of self-expression that could be personal and political.
She approached her work with an attitude of “I don’t give a fuck what you think,” which made her designs stand out from the rest—and also made it easier for them to become popular.
Conclusion
Vivienne Westwood didn’t just revolutionize fashion; she changed the world. She was a visionary who used her designs to express radical ideas about feminism, environmentalism, and socialism. And in doing so, she inspired countless others to do the same! We will miss her dearly, but we know that her legacy will live on for generations.
