Fashion career profile
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood was a British fashion designer and activist whose work helped shape punk and repeatedly reinterpreted historical dress. With Malcolm McLaren, she began designing through their 430 King's Road shop in 1971, then presented the Pirate collection in 1981 and built an independent international house. Her work moved from subcultural provocation into rigorous studies of tailoring, corsetry, British textiles and art history while environmental and political campaigns became central to the brand's public voice. Andreas Kronthaler, her husband and long-term collaborator, continues as creative director after her death in 2022.
- Role
- Founder, Vivienne Westwood
- Nationality
- British
- Age at death
- 81
- Career appointments
- 1
- Fashion houses
- 1
- University of Applied Arts Vienna — Professor of Fashion1989–1991 · former
- Malcolm McLaren / 430 King’s Road — Design and boutique partnership1971–1984 · former
- "I Feel Very Empowered at This Moment in My Life": Pamela Anderson on Vulnerability, Vivienne Westwood, and Wearing Makeup AgainWho What Wear · 2026-10-08
- Liberty Names Sinead O’Brien Head of Design, Bolsters In-House Fashion, Accessories OfferWWD · 2026-10-07
- Gold, glamour and unexpected proportions take centre stage at Paris Fashion Week SS27The Industry Fashion · 2026-10-05
- 430 King’s Road: Opened Let It Rock with Malcolm McLaren in 1971Westwood began by designing Teddy Boy clothes; the boutique’s later names included SEX and Seditionaries. · Vivienne Westwood
- Pirate collection: Autumn/Winter 1981 was the first official Westwood–McLaren catwalk showThe collection used historical dress research and helped establish the pair’s shared early design language. · Vivienne Westwood
- End of collaboration: Westwood and McLaren’s collaboration ceased after Hypnos (Spring/Summer 1984)The later Westwood collections and company leadership are distinct from this early partnership. · Vivienne Westwood
- Teaching: Professor of Fashion at Vienna’s University of Applied Arts, 1989–1991The house chronology lists teaching alongside her continued design work; it was a separate professional role. · Vivienne Westwood
- 1971 — Opens Let It Rock on King’s RoadWestwood and Malcolm McLaren open the boutique at 430 King’s Road in London.
- 1981 — Shows the Pirate collectionThe Autumn/Winter collection is credited as Westwood and McLaren’s first official collaborative catwalk show.
- 1984 — McLaren collaboration endsThe partnership ceases after the Hypnos collection; Westwood’s independent work continues.
- 1985 — Presents Mini-CriniThe collection develops English tailoring and a changed silhouette after the McLaren collaboration.
- 1971–2022 — Founder and Creative Director — Vivienne WestwoodHistorical appointment · Vivienne Westwood