Dame Vivienne Westwood, the legendary designer credited with bringing the modern punk fashion movement into the mainstream, has passed away aged 81.
A statement released on Westwood’s official Twitter page reads “29th December 2022. Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London. The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better.”
Her creative partner and husband Andreas Kronthaler said “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart. We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on with.”
Westwood
29th December 2022.
Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London.
The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better. pic.twitter.com/YQwVixYUrV
— Vivienne Westwood (@FollowWestwood) December 29, 2022
Dame Vivienne Westwood, who was awarded a DBE for “services to fashion” in 2008 has been a pivotal influence in the growth and popularity of punk and new wave fashion. She pioneered the punk fashion era of the 1970’s, with the Sex Pistols wearing her clothes while she maintained a relationship with their manager, Malcolm McLaren.
“There was no punk before me and Malcolm,” wrote Westwood in her biography. “And the other thing you should know about punk too: it was a total blast.”
In addition to her contributions to the fashion world, Westwood was also a staunch activist, devoting much of her life and career to the support of climate activism, feminism, civil rights, and nuclear disarmament.
Speaking to L’Officiel fashion magazine in 2018 Westwood said “I’ve always had a political agenda. I’ve used fashion to challenge the status quo.”
