The History of Vivienne Westwood

The History of Vivienne Westwood 1941 In Glossop, Derbyshire, British designer Vivienne Swire was born. 1958 Aged 17 she studied fashion and silversmithing but left taking a job in a factory and studying as a primary school teacher. At this time she also created her own jewellery to sell at a stall on Portabella Road. 1961 Vivienne Swire met Derek Westwood and in 1962 married in her own hand made wedding dress. In 1963 she gave birth to Benjamin Westwood who later became an erotic photographer. 1967 Malcolm McClaren and Vivienne Westwood began their romance which put an end to her marriage and also the birth of her second son Joseph Corre in 1967; who later went on to create Agent Provocateur, a lingerie brand, with his wife Serena Rees. 1971 McClaren and Westwood opened Let It Rock at 430 Kings Road. By 1972 the two designers interests had turned to 'biker clothing, zips and leather'. The shop began its second transformation under the Westwood era to Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die. 1976 The Sex Pistol's 'God Save the Queen', managed by McClaren, went to number one on the singles chart. The shop reopened as Seditionaries, with Westwood designing outfits of 'obscure sexual fetishism' for fashion and inspiring a D.I.Y aesthetic. The media called it 'Punk Rock'. PisTOLI 1980 The shop was again transformed into Worlds End. 1981-82 1988-89 Westwood and McClarens had their first catwalk show 'The Pirate Collection'. This offered a romantic look which burst onto the London fashion Westwood's most iconic look Time scene and ensured this collection's place in history. Machine was born, equipping the fashion industry with tweed and tartan. 1992 1993 Westwood was awarded an OBE from Queen Elizabeth II for services to fashion. Naomi Campbell famously stumbled whilst modelling a prototype for 9 inch heel shoes designed by Patrick Cox in Westwood's catwalk show; thus launching another designer into the British fashion industry. 1993-94 The collection Anglomania was created out of her belief that fashion is a combination and exchange of ideas between France and England. The French became mad about English tailoring and spontaneity of country charm. 2012 2008 Vivienne Westwood's watch collection Time Machine pays homage to her earlier work by incorporating the iconic tweed 'look' in some of the designs. The watches are Swiss made and Westwood designed the iconic wedding dress featured in 'Sex and the City'. nearly all include her famous logo - the orb. Westwood is widely known as a political activist and is currently involved in the Climate Revolution, I always thought we had an environmental problem but I hadn't realised how urgent it was. James Lovelock writes that by the end of this century there will be one billion people left. That's six billion dead by the end on the century. He calls it the cull. Sources www.viviennewestwood.com http://www.vogue.co.uk/spy/biographies/vivienne-westwood-biography Blamire, H. (2013). Lush Times, Version 1 SILVER TREE LANCASTER .0 **....... ..............