Farewell to Vivienne Westwood: the most iconic moments of her life

The death of Vivienne Westwood marks a sad closure for 2022. The official social media profiles of the designer, considered the queen of punk style, announced that she had passed away "peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London."

"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," the statement continues.

Her life was truly extraordinary. Few people in the world can claim to have revolutionized popular culture like Vivienne Westwood. She sparked a change in style that has also translated into social change. Nonconformist, committed, outside the box and innovative, her legacy goes far beyond fashion, although it will always remain bound to it.

Born in Tintwistle, in the English Midlands, on April 8, 1941, to a couple of textile workers from Derbyshire, she did what she loved most for over 60 years. In 1971, she started designing clothes with her husband Malcolm McLaren.

From their historic London boutique at 430 Kings Road, the revolution began. The designs scandalized the rigid English bourgeoisie of the time, who considered them so outrageous that they forced the police to pull down the shutters of the shop. But Vivienne and Malcolm were not two people who gave up easily.

In 1976 they returned to the office and reopened the store, renaming it Seditionaires, a witty play on words between seduction and sedition. They did so with a collection that fully defined the sense and meaning of punk culture.
All the rest is history: the fight against the establishment with fashion hits that didn't even spare Queen Elizabeth and Thatcher, the close link with the Sex Pistols, and an enthralling success that conquered magazines, television, and cinema.

The English designer was capable of changing history without fear by creating a (necessary) fracture in social customs that arose from a profoundly innovative vision of the way of seeing and feeling fashion. With Vivienne Westwood, our way of understanding fashion changed.

It was Vivienne Westwood, in fact, who taught us that fashion can't be a frivolous and superficial interest. Wearing a dress is not just a simple way of adorning our being, but it's an act of defining our personality and launching a message. In this sad farewell, we retrace together the most iconic looks of the English designer, who has done more for the world and society than we think.

These are the years in which Malcolm becomes an agent of the Sex Pistols and they are the years of their greatest success: the irreverent 'God save the Queen.'

Pictured: Malcolm McLaren and Viviane Westwood leaving Bow Street courthouse after being released on bail for a fight. Vivienne wears a t-shirt with the face of Queen Elizabeth.

The first Vivienne Westwood collection has a name that says it all, but after all, who is more rebellious than a pirate? And the stylist knows it well.

In the 90s, Queen V's style seems to become more classic and the hair with the crest replaces hats and ruffles. But nothing is further from reality: society has already profoundly changed, punk is no longer subversive and people, in short, continue to get upset, but much less. After all, wearing a classic garment represents true originality.

And here she is, headed to Buckingham Palace, in a photo that portrays her with her sons Ben and Joseph, with another decidedly sober look chosen to receive the high honor of an OBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
But, as was often the case with Vivienne Westwood, there is much more behind her gown... Or should we say there is much less under her gown? In front of the photographers gathered for the occasion, the rebel Vivienne, in fact, demonstrates that she hasn't put on underwear.

In the 2000s, Vivienne Westwood has nothing left to prove to the world. The stars love her, the public loves her. On the catwalks she is another queen of England.

While not having to prove much, Vivienne Westwood continues to have a lot to say. And she continues to use her collections to do so. The causes she cares about are different now, because fashion, for her, must also be aware of its effects on the world, the environment, and the lives of human beings. Through slogans such as "Buy less, choose well, make it last" or "Make Love, not Fashion," she sends out a new, environmentalist message.

This photo was taken in Milan, for the Fall/Winter 2010 collection show

And if she didn't hesitate to taunt Queen Elizabeth and Margaret Thatcher in its early days, she does not fear either to appear before British Prime Minister James Cameron in an armored vehicle. It is 2015 and she is protesting his government's fossil fuel policy.

There is no doubt that Vivienne Westwood's life was extraordinary and any homage could be an understatement. She brought chaos to an overly rigid world and revolution where we didn't even think there was a need. Maybe now we can really say that "the punk is dead." And we are very sorry.