Vivienne Westwood was an influential fashion designer who shaped the look of punk and new wave with her designs for bands including the Sex Pistols.
- Died: December 29, 2022 (Who else died on December 29?)
- Details of death: Died in London at the age of 81.
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The godmother of punk
Westwood came to prominence with the iconic shop she co-owned with her then-boyfriend, Malcolm McLaren (1946–2010). Initially named Let it Rock when founded in 1971 and going through a series of name changes – most famously called SEX – the boutique sold records, magazines, and Westwood’s counterculture clothing designs. As McLaren managed the pioneering punk band the Sex Pistols, the pair dressed the band in Westwood’s ripped and layered fashions, strongly influencing the style of the burgeoning punk scene. Other patrons of the shop included Adam Ant, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders, and Siouxsie Sioux.
As the music scene evolved in the early 1980s, Westwood debuted her New Romantic style, the frills, corsets and ascots adopted by new wave icons and fans alike. As her designs were embraced by increasingly mainstream audiences, Westwood continued to pioneer new styles, including the bubble-like “mini-crini” skirt of the late ‘80s and her uniforms for the Virgin Atlantic flight crews. Sarah Jessica Parker wore a Westwood wedding gown in character as Carrie Bradshaw in “Sex and the City” movie; Dita Von Teese wore Westwood in her real-life wedding to Marilyn Manson. Pharrell Williams wore a vintage Westwood hat to the 2014 Grammy Awards in a look that became iconic. In 1992, Westwood was honored with an OBE, making her Dame Vivienne Westwood.
Notable quote
“I always design for a parallel universe; a world that doesn’t exist. You know, one that’s like this but better.” —from a 2022 interview for Interview magazine
Tributes to Vivienne Westwood
Full obituary: The New York Times
