Iconic English Designer Vivienne Westwood Has Died at Age 81
Said to have died “peacefully and surrounded by her family.”
Vivienne Westwood, legendary English designer and activist, has died at age 81.
As confirmed in a statement issued by her fashion house, the punk pioneer died “peacefully and surrounded by her family” in Clapham, a suburb in South London. Born Vivienne Isabel Swire on April 8, 1941, Westwood’s professional journey began as a primary-school teacher, a time when she created her own jewelry that she sold at a stall. It was in the ’70s that Westwood would fully realize a transition from working-class entrepreneur to emerging designer as her partner at the time, Malcolm McLaren, opened a small boutique with her in London in 1971. Focusing on a punk and a new wave aesthetic, Westwood’s designs found great momentum in the following decades, continuously pushing the boundaries of fashion. Her resulting legacy has been recognized with countless awards and nominations, including receiving British Fashion Designer of the Year in 1990, 1991 and 2006.
Leveraging her voice for activism, Westwood has made noise for causes such as the environment, Julian Assange’s arrest, her support of the Green Party in the UK and many other movements. Considered a Taoist by herself, she shared the following sentiment “Tao spiritual system. There was never more need for the Tao today. Tao gives you a feeling that you belong to the cosmos and gives purpose to your life; it gives you such a sense of identity and strength to know you’re living the life you can live and therefore ought to be living: make full use of your character and full use of your life on earth.”
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