Vivienne Westwood, the fashion designer who made punk and new wave fashion mainstream, has died. She was 81.
Westwood died Thursday "peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London," a post shared on her Instagram page by her brand said.
"Vivienne continued to do the things she loved, up until her last moment, designing, working on her art, writing her book, and changing the world for the better," according to the Instagram caption alongside a photo of Westwood. "She led an amazing life. Her innovation and impact over the last 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future."
"The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better," the brand said.
Her husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler also released a statement and said, "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," he added.
Dame Vivienne Westwood attends an event in London, on Jan. 27, 2020.
Ricky Vigil M/GC Images via Getty Images
Westwood and her start in fashion
Born on April 8, 1941, to Gordon and Dora Swire, a factory worker and cotton weaver, respectively, the English designer emerged on the fashion scene in the 1970s when she met artist and musician Malcolm McLaren, who was the manager of the punk band the Sex Pistols.
Westwood became one of the main designers of the punk fashion movement, co-managing a store with McLaren called SEX, located at 430 King's Cross Road in Chelsea, which became a meeting place for those in London's early punk scene. Her style was inspired by many punk icons including Viv Albertine, and many of those designs included mohair jumpers, slashed T-shirts, motorcyclists' leather and army combat gear.
In the 1980s into the early '90s, Westwood transitioned into a period that she called "New Romantic" and "The Pagan Years," with clothes that parodied the upper class.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
