Vivienne Westwood is one of Britain's most influential fashion designers, influencing John Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld with her punk designs and and her own punk attitudes. By opening "Let it Rock" in 1970, she and her partner turned lover Malcolm McLaren revolutionized fashion and popularized English Punk style, which included outrageous BDSM style clothing, accessories, hairdos, and makeup.
She remains eccentric and her designs keep their cutting edge style. Her design styles has evolved ever since her debut, but her main themes remain pirates, tartans, courtesans, Victoriana, and bondage.
Life and Career
Vivienne Westwood was born with the name Vivienne Isabel Swire in Derbyshire, on April 8, 1941. She went to Harrow School of Art, later attended the University of Westminster for one term, then went to Middlesex University's Trent Park College.
Her first career was as a teacher in a primary school in North London. She married Derek Westwood, her first husband, and had two children with him, Rose and Ben.
She began designing clothes in 1971 when she opened her first shop with Malcolm McLaren, "Let it Rock", which was later renamed "Sex". Her design popularized English Punk styles, which focused in leather, zippers, and BDSM style fashion.
Westwood and McLaren became lovers and had one son, Joseph Carre.
In 1981, she displayed her first seminal collection in London. In 1990 and 1991, she was awarded British Designer of the Year.
In 1998 she won the Queen's Export Award
In 2007 she was awarded the gong for Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design at the British Fashion Awards.
References
Fast Facts
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Born
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Birth place
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Spouse
Derek Westwood, Andreas Kronthaler.
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Children
Ben Westwood, Rose Westwood, Joseph Corre
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Alma mater
Harrow School of Art, the University of Westminster, for one term, and Middlesex University's Trent Park College
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Fact 6
She was rumored to be knickerless when she received her OBE from Queen Elizabeth. She is also a political activist, and uses her designs to make a statement. In 2007, she was late to the stage to collect her Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design at the British Fashion Awards because she went out to the loo.
