He was the “enfant terrible of fashion”. British designer Vivienne Westwood died on Thursday at the age of 81, her eponymous fashion company announced in a statement posted on Twitter. “The world needs people like Vivienne to change for the better,” she wrote, adding that she died “surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London.”
In a statement quoted by the PA agency, her husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler added: “We worked until the end and she left me a lot to continue. Thank you darling. »
With creations that some would say eccentric, Vivienne Westwood largely contributed to the launch of punk fashion in the world in the 1970s. The stylist notably dressed the Sex Pistols, giving her wide visibility. Her parades would become real successes over the years and the artist would assert herself with a style all her own.
“RIP the great Vivienne Westwood. Unique. Brilliant. Without compromise. Thank you Viv,” reacted TV presenter Jonathan Ross on Twitter. “Such a legend, a huge source of inspiration, brilliantly creative and always a committed activist for people and the planet”, for her part hailed Caroline Lucas, head of the Green Party in England, highlighting the environmental fights of the stylist.
“Her punk style rewrote the rule book in the 1970s and was widely admired for how she stayed true to her own values throughout her life,” said the British Culture Secretary. . And to add: “One sad day, Vivienne Westwood was and will remain a dominant figure in British fashion. »