Punk Pioneer
A tribute to the implacable Vivienne Westwood, 1941-2022
Just before the close of 2022, the world has lost another legend. I’m speaking of Vivienne Westwood, who passed away on October 29th in peace at home with her family. If you’re only vaguely familiar with her, as I was, please bear with me as I share a few tidbits that I’ve learned about this iconic designer whose global impact on fashion and pop culture can not be underestimated.
She is best known for inventing the Punk aesthetic. She literally dressed the Sex Pistols throughout the 1970’s, developing a personal as well as business relationship with the band’s manager, Malcolm McLaren. They had a son together in 1967 (Westwood’s second, her first was born in 1967 while she was still married to Derek Westwood) and until 1981 they designed and co-owned their signature shop that changed names repeatedly over the years. In 1981 their “Pirate” collection became their first to see the runways of London, and immediately hit the cover of Vogue. This collection was heavily inspired by 17th century fashion - think frilly necklines and billowing sleeves. For the rest of her career, her designs continued to reflect her interest in history and historical styles, particularly from the 17th and 18th centuries. She also drew inspiration from the art world - her 1993 collection “Café Society,” with its corsetry and and ballerina-inspired tulle skirts, could have come straight out of a Degas painting. Her other collections of note include 1993’s Anglomania (LOTS of tartan), “Liberty” in 1994 (let’s just say she repurposed a hand muff for a bikini bottom - ‘nuff said), “Vive la Cocotte” in 1995 (the name says it all), and my personal favorite, “Storm in a Teacup” 1996. Tailoring and top hats for women, with the occasional Burgundian silk dress with corset and bustle a la Victorian 1800’s, plus dark smudges under the eyes (like me before makeup)….all align to create an overall Twilight-esque aesthetic.
She is perhaps one of the few creative geniuses recognized within her own lifetime. She won British Fashion Designer of the Year in 1990, 1991, and 2006. She was awarded the OBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 1992, and in 2006 was awarded Damehood. With her inaugural collection in 1981 she was credited with revising the British fashion scene, and in 1989 WWD editor John Fairchild referred to her as “the Alice in Wonderland of fashion.”
Far from confining her passion in the past, she was always extremely politically active. Through her designs and her voice she supported a variety of causes: in 2008 she advocated for fair trials for prisoners of Guantanamo Bay; in her 2013 show she called for a climate “revolution,” and she has championed whistle-blowers such as Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange. And, despite two bumpy relationships, she never gave up on love - in 1992 she married Austrian fashion student Andreas Kronthaler, who became her life partner as well as creative director of her brand in 2016.
To my mind, this multi-hyphenate (artist, designer, feminist, environmentalist, activist, mother) genius ranks highly in whatever list you have going on of the most fascinating and influential women in the world and throughout history. I hope you take a moment to visit Vogue and WWD for more information about her amazing life, and for digital replays of her most iconic collections.
