Dame Vivienne Westwood sadly died on 29th December 2022, aged 81.
A trailblazer and pioneer of great British fashion and rebellion, Westwood was a cultural icon whose great loss will be felt the world over.
In The Beginning
In 1958, Westwood’s family moved to London where she studied jewellery design at the University of Westminster, but left after a term saying “I didn’t know how a working-class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world”.
In London, Westwood met Malcom McLaren, who were a match made in punk-heaven. The popularisation of the hippie movement left the pair feeling uninspired and misrepresented - leading them to open a boutique called Let It Rock in Chelsea selling their unconventional, rebellious designs.
McLaren managed the Sex Pistols at the time, and their designs gained popularity when the band shot to the top of the charts with ‘God Save The Queen’. Her fashion became synonymous with punk music, taking inspiration from all things outrageous. Using fetishism, bondage - and most importantly politics to provoke a reaction and inspire societal change. Forever against the grain, Westwood was the pioneer of British punk and changed the course of fashion history – having an unfathomable impact on British design.
Protest and Fashion for Change
In 1981, Westwood and McLaren released their debut catwalk collection. The iconic ‘Pirate’ collection showcased the punk aesthetic of their boutique designs, with new romantic influences bursting into bright colour. Looking at plundering history and the Third World, this collection would certainly not be the last to highlight politics and important world issues.
As the years have gone by, it’s clear that for Westwood – the protest comes before the clothes. Spreading an anti-establishment message is ultimately what punk is all about, and her work in recent years became increasingly focused on activism and inspiring change.
In her AW08 collection, she protested unlawful imprisonment in Guantanamo Bay – sending her lead model down the runway with in a pair of knickers emblazoned with “Fair trial my arse”. Westwood’s son Joseph Corre added “It’s about people standing up and deciding what side of the fence they’re on. Hopefully they’ll take a bit of notice. If not, they’ll get a great pair of knickers”.
Her SS16 collection was entirely protest themed, covering fracking, climate revolution, political corruption and austerity. Before the show, Westwood staged a protest demonstration outside of the venue, waving placards brandishing anti-fracking slogans. The show opened with screeching police sirens, with a valley girl accent chanting “Hashtag, hashtag. Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram; wake up and hashtag, go crazy every day”. An ironic comment on the use of social media, whilst rows of people took photos on their phones to post online. The dystopian theme was mirrored in the make-up – with the girls wearing smeared black eyeshadow across their face in a post-apocalyptic, anti-hero fashion.
In 2015, the Dame herself drove a white tank, yes, a tank - through the home constituency of David Cameron. Taking up the position at the gunner of the tank, Westwood stood tall against the use of fracking. Westwood quoted “Cameron accuses foreign leaders such as President Gaddafi and President Assad of supposedly using chemicals on their own people as a justification for regime change. But he is doing precisely that here in Britain by forcing toxic, life-threatening fracking chemicals on his own people”. Yet another iconic testament to Westwood using her platform to speak up on important issues - with a bad-ass punk rock twist, of course.
The Future of Fashion
Vivienne Westwood undoubtedly inspired a generation of designers, without her influential work in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, we wouldn’t have had Alexander McQueen. She placed an everlasting stamp on the face of British history, but her legacy continues today, and in the future of fashion, paving the way for designers like Charles Jeffrey and Matty Bovan.
She was a true pioneer of British punk, and encapsulated what it meant to be not just a female fashion designer, but a fashion designer – full stop. Creating pieces that intersected art, gender, fashion and politics, British culture has lost more than just a designer.
The world will be a far less interesting place. Rest in Peace Vivienne Westwood.
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