Fashion Designer Vivienne Westwood Dead at 81
The designer was known for her work at the forefront of the British punk movement.
Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood died on December 29, 2022 at the age of 81. She was surrounded by her family in her home in South Clapham, London.
In a press release issued by Westwood's team, it read, “Vivienne continued to do the things she loved, up until the last moment, designing, working on her art, writing her book, and changing the world for the better. She led an amazing life. Her innovation and impact over the last 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future.”
Westwood's creative and life partner Andreas Kronthaler was included in the release, saying, “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart. We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on with. Thank you darling.”
An inspiration to many, designers and friends around the world have taken to social media to express their grief over Westwood's passing. Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele posted a photo of the designer with the caption, "please teach the sky how to rock."
British model and musician Karen Elson wrote on Instagram, "She was a reckoner who pushed the needle of British Fashion and continued in that fearless original spirit her entire career. She tore apart notions of femininity, sex, and was one of the first to demand that fashion do better in regards to the climate and without a doubt was one of the most effortlessly original people I’ve ever met. Fashion, art, culture will mourn this loss of a gargantuan woman who shaped how we wear and what we wore."
Westwood was known for her work at the forefront of the British punk movement. Her store, SEX, was the genesis site for major influencers of the genre such as the Sex Pistols, Chrissie Hynde, Siouxsie Sioux, and more. Hynde also took to social media to mourn her old friend, tweeting, "Vivienne is gone and the world is already a less interesting place. Love you Viv."
Outside of fashion, Westwood was also a dedicated political and climate activist. In a 2018 interview with L'OFFICIEL, Westwood said she always had a "political agenda": “I’ve used fashion to challenge the status quo.” She went on to explain that "politics and climate change are one and the same thing."
To honor her memory, her sons and granddaughter have founded The Vivienne Foundation, which will officially launch in 2023, as a way of preserving Westwood's legacy.
