Britain mourns the loss of a rebellious and non-conformist artist. After Vivienne Westwood’s death, politicians, fashion greats and long-time companions paid tribute to the fashion designer for her life’s work.
Model Bella Hadid, who walked for Westwood in Paris in October, called the Brit “the sun” of the fashion industry and the “queen of punk”. Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney tweeted: “A brave lady who rocked the fashion world and defiantly stood up for what was right.” Westwood died Thursday at the age of 81.
“Vivienne Westwood was a creative icon who helped cement Britain’s place at the forefront of modern fashion,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted. British culture minister Michelle Donelan spoke of a “sad day”: Westwood was an outstanding figure in British fashion. “Her punk style rewrote the rule book in the 1970s and was widely admired for staying true to her own values throughout her life,” Donelan tweeted.
Westwood was known for her provocative slogans and androgynous cuts. According to the motto: Everyone should wear what they feel like – men, for example, skirts. She has made a name for herself with her irreverent attitude towards the establishment since the 1970s.
When she received a tribute from Queen Elizabeth II in 1992, she appeared sans underwear, as she twisted to let waiting photographers know. “The only reason I’m in fashion is because I want to destroy the word ‘conformity’,” her bio read.
However, she was later knighted by the Queen. Dame Vivienne – that is the title given to her – died “peacefully and surrounded by her family in Clapham, south London”, it said on Thursday evening in the announcement of her death. London’s Victoria and Albert Museum (v
Start with the Sex Pistols
Westwood is considered a pioneer of punk in the fashion industry. Together with her then partner Malcolm McLaren, manager of the punk band Sex Pistols, she ran a boutique on London’s King’s Road and took care of the group’s outfit.
She then built a global fashion brand that now has stores in the UK, France, Italy, America and Asia. Crazy outfits were her trademark. Westwood also brought climate change to the runway. She is survived by two sons – photographer Ben Westwood and Joseph Corré, founder of lingerie company Agent Provocateur.
“Thank you darling”
Her husband Andreas Kronthaler, to whom she was married for around 30 years, said goodbye in personal words: “We worked to the end and she gave me a lot of things to continue with. Thank you, darling.”
Numerous greats from fashion, music and film also commemorated the designer. Vivienne Westwood’s genius and her unique voice are irreplaceable and will be missed, supermodel Claudia Schiffer wrote in an Instagram story. Her colleague Naomi Campbell called Westwood “the actual queen of fashion” on Instagram. Artist Yoko Ono wrote on Twitter: “What a woman – so young at heart, motivated, beautiful and elegant.”
Pop star Boy George called Westwood the “undisputed queen of British fashion” in a tweet. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis wrote on Instagram that Westwood was a “true icon” and emphasized: “Rest in punk” (literally translated: “rest in punk”).
A statement on Westwood’s official Instagram account said: “Vivienne kept doing the things she loved, designing, working on her art, writing her book and changing the world for the better until the last moment. She lived an amazing life Their innovation and impact over the past 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future.”
Westwood considered herself a Taoist. Even when she was old, she took part in demonstrations, campaigned for environmental protection and called for the release of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. “The world needs people like Vivienne to change something for the better,” the Instagram message said.
