Fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood dies at 81

29 December 2022, 22:33 | Updated: 29 December 2022, 22:34

The legendary British fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood has died peacefully surrounded by family in South London.

Dame Vivienne Westwood has died, it has been confirmed today (29th December).

Her fashion house shared a statement on Twitter, which read: "Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London.

"The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better."

Her husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler 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."

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Dame Vivienne found fame in the 1970s when she brought punk fashion into the mainstream, running a boutique on London's King's Road alongside Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren.

She went on to establish a global fashion brand which today has stores in the UK, France, Italy, America and Asia.

The Derbyshire-born designer was also well known for her campaigning - standing up for issues such as pollution and climate change, as well as supporting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

To protest against fracking, she once drove a white tank near the home of former prime minister David Cameron and she dressed up a Margaret Thatcher on a magazine cover.

Dame Vivienne received her OBE from the Queen in 1992 without wearing any underwear, which she proved by twirling her skirt in front of photographers.

The designer was as iconic as her clothing, known for her brightly dyed orange hair which was nod to the punk aesthetic she helped popularise.

Tributes have begun pouring in from across the world of fashion and entertainment.

More to follow...