Vivienne Westwood has died aged 81.
The designer and punk pioneer passed away “peacefully and surrounded by her family” in Clapham, South London on Thursday, an announcement on her brand’s official social media page said.
It read: “Vivienne Westwood died today, 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.”
A cause of death was not disclosed.
Westwood’s husband and creative partner, Andreas Kronthaler, 56, said about going on without her: “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.”
Westwood has been hailed for bringing punk and new wave fashion into the mainstream and shot to fame after she made clothes for the Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren’s famous fashion boutique on the King’s Road, London, known as ‘SEX’.
She was also obsessed with shaking up established systems, and famously said she wanted to see if she could put a “spoke in the system”.
The designer is also survived by two children – Ben, born 1963, who she shared with erotica photographer Derek Westwood, and Joseph Corré, born 1967, who she had with Malcolm McLaren.