British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood dies aged 81

Like the person who wore the Sex Pistols, Vivienne Westwoodwho died this Thursday (29th) at the age of 81, was synonymous with punk rock in the 1970s, a rebelliousness that remained the hallmark of an openly political designer who became one of the biggest names in British fashion.

“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,” said her brand’s official Twitter channel.

Climate change, pollution and his support for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange provided the basis for protest T-shirts or banners carried by his models on the runway.

She dressed as then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for a magazine cover in 1989, and drove a white tank near the country home of future British leader David Cameron to protest “fracking”, a technique used to drilling for oil.

The rebel joined the establishment in 1992 after Queen Elizabeth II awarded her the Order of the British Empire medal. But, always wanting to shock, Westwood appeared at Buckingham Palace without panties.

“The only reason I’m in fashion is to destroy the word ‘compliance’,” he said. Westwood in his 2014 biography. “Nothing is interesting to me unless it has that element.”

Instantly recognizable by its orange or white hair, Westwood first made a name for himself in punk fashion in London in the 1970s, dressing the punk rock band that defined the genre.

Along with Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, she defied the hippie tendencies of the day to sell rock’n’roll-inspired clothing.

They began to wear ripped clothes adorned with chains, as well as latex and fetish pieces that they sold in their store on London’s King’s Road, called “Let It Rock”, “Sex” and “Seditionaries”, among other names.

They used swastika prints, bare breasts and, perhaps most famously, an image of the Queen with a safety pin in her lips. Favorite items included sleeveless black T-shirts studded with zippers, safety pins or chicken bones.

“There was no punk before me and Malcolm,” he said. Westwood in the biography. “And the other thing you should know about punk too: It was a total blast.”

“Buy less”

Born on April 8, 1941 in the English town of Glossop, Westwood grew up in a time of rationing during World War II.

A recycling mindset permeated her work, and she repeatedly told fashionistas to “choose well” and “shop less”. From the late 1960s, she lived in a small flat in south London for around 30 years, and cycled to work.

When she was a teenager, her parents, greengrocers and cotton weavers, moved the family to north London, where she studied jewelery before going back to school to become a teacher.

While teaching at an elementary school, she met her first husband, Derek Westwood, marrying him in a homemade dress. Their son Ben was born in 1963 and the couple divorced in 1966.

Now single mom, Westwood was selling jewelry on Portobello Road, in London, when he met the art student McLaren, who would become his romantic and professional partner. They had one son, Joe Corre, co-founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.

After the Sex Pistols split, the two held their first fashion show in 1981, showcasing a “romantic new look” of African-style patterns, buccaneer pants and sashes.

Westwoodthen in his forties, slowly began to carve his own path in fashion, eventually parting ways with McLaren in the early 1980s.

Often looking back to history, her influential designs have included corsets, Harris Tweed suits, and taffeta ball gowns.

Her 1985 “Mini-Crini” line featured her short, puffy skirt and a tighter silhouette. Their platform shoes gained worldwide attention in 1993 when model Naomi Campbell stumbled down the runway wearing a pair.

“My clothes have a story. They have an identity. They have character and purpose. That’s why they become classics. Because they keep telling a story. They are still counting.”

the brand Westwood flourished in the 1990s, with fashionistas crowding their Paris shows and opening stores across the world selling their lines, accessories and perfumes.

She met Andreas Kronthaler teaching fashion in Vienna. They got married in 1993 and later became his creative partner.

Westwood used her public profile to advocate for issues like nuclear disarmament and to protest anti-terrorism laws and government spending policies that hit the poor. In addition, she held a large “climate revolution” banner at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Paralympics in London and frequently transformed her models into runway eco-warriors.

“I always had a political agenda. I used fashion to challenge the status quo,” he said. Westwood to the fashion magazine L’Officiel. in 2018.