by Celebrities have paid tribute to Dame Vivienne Westwood and the world has been described as “a less interesting place already” after her death at the age of 81.
The pioneering fashion designer made a name for herself in the 1970s fashion scene with her androgynous designs, slogan t-shirts and irreverent attitude towards the establishment.
Dame Vivienne died on Thursday “peacefully and surrounded by her family in Clapham, south London,” her representatives said.
Lady Vivienne Westwood
On Friday, Sir Paul McCartney became the last big star to pay tribute to Dame Vivienne.
He tweeted: “Goodbye, Vivienne Westwood. A brave lady who rocked the fashion world and defiantly stood for what was right. I love Paul x”
Previously, model Bella Hadid described the designer as “the most epic human being to walk this earth … my inspiration and idol in everything.”
In an Instagram post with pictures of the couple, Hadid wrote: “Dearest Vivienne, queen of punk, from the first day I met you to the last day I saw you, you made me smile, listen, learn and love more than the day before.
“I will always be grateful to be in your orbit, because for me and most of fashion and humanity, you, Vivienne, were the sun.
“To the coolest, funniest, amazing, humble, creative, awesome, smart, fucking epic man to walk this earth… my inspiration and idol in everything… rest in love and rest in peace… I will miss you.”
The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde, who worked at Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s boutique in the early days of punk, sent love to her late friend.
“Vivienne is gone and the world is a less interesting place. Love you Viv,” Hynde tweeted.
In an earlier statement, Dame Vivienne’s husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler said: “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart.
“We worked to the end and she gave me loads of things to do. Thank you darling.”
A statement from her representatives added: “Vivienne continued to do what she loved until the last minute, designing, working on her art, writing a book and changing the world for the better.
“She led an amazing life.
“Her innovation and impact over the past 60 years has been enormous and will continue into the future.”
It also stated that the Vivienne Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Dame Vivienne, her sons and granddaughter in late 2022, will launch next year to “honour, protect and continue the legacy of Vivienne’s life, design and activism.” “.
Dame Vivienne, who was born in Cheshire in 1941, is largely credited with bringing punk and new wave fashion to the mainstream with her eccentric creations.
Her designs have been regularly worn by celebrities, including Dita Von Teese, who wore a purple Westwood wedding dress to marry Marilyn Manson, and Princess Eugenie, who wore three Westwood designs for various elements of William and Kate Middleton’s wedding.
Dame Vivienne’s designs also featured in the 2008 film adaptation of Sex and the City starring Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw.
In addition to her work as a designer, Dame Vivienne has been a vocal supporter of a number of social and political initiatives, including a campaign to free WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is fighting to avoid being sent to the United States to face charges under the Espionage Act.
Stella Assange, whose wedding dress for an Australian woman was created by Dame Vivienne, paid tribute to her as a “pillar of the anti-establishment”.
“Vivienne was a lady and a pillar of the anti-establishment. Brave, creative, prudent and a good friend. The best of Britain. I will miss her terribly and many others,” Assange wrote on behalf of her husband.
American fashion designer Marc Jacobs said he was “heartbroken” by the news of the death, writing in an Instagram post: “You did it first. Always. Amazing style with brilliant and meaningful content.
“I am still learning from your words and all your amazing creations. I will always remember the night we bonded because of our mutual love for Yves Saint Laurent.
“You have never managed to surprise and shock. I am grateful for the moments I could share with you and Andreas.
“Rest in peace, dear Vivienne, although peace seems to be the wrong word.”
The self-proclaimed queen of punk has always sparked controversy in the fashion industry with her risky creations.
The designer was largely responsible for anti-establishment punk fashion and became known for her subversive and eccentric take on traditional British style.
She and McLaren, the former manager of the punk band Sex Pistols, opened a shop where Hynde worked called Let It Rock – also known as Sex – in the early 1970s, where she began selling her outrageous outfits.
The punk style included bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or toilet chains, and spiked dog collars.
The style icon caused a stir in 1992 when she received her OBE without underwear from the Queen and spun around the courtyard to reveal everything.
In 2006, when she became a Lady, she again chose not to wear panties and went to Buckingham Palace wearing a pair of silver horns.
Describing her outfit that day – a black cap atop her bright orange hair and a black dress with campaign badges and tiny horns on her head – she said it portrayed her as an urban guerrilla and a Che Guevara character.
She explained: “I’m supposed to be a bit like Che Guevara – urban guerrilla, with my hat, this jungle net and badge for my campaign of active resistance to propaganda.”
Some of her most famous creations include the Mini Crini, flowy skirts, tie-up pants and 12-inch platform boots that famously made supermodel Naomi Campbell stumble.
She developed the concept of lingerie as outerwear, and Madonna’s legendary conical bra worn on her Blonde Ambition tour, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, would probably never have been made if not for Westwood.
She also transformed the corset from a symbol of female repression into a symbol of power and sexual freedom.
After becoming a primary school teacher, she quit her job to become a punk fashion seamstress and opened her shop on Chelsea’s Kings Road with her then-partner McLaren.
The Sex Pistols wore clothes from the store for their first show, and Westwood’s first runway show was presented at Olympia in London in March 1981.
