Vivienne Westwood: The mother of the punk fashion movement

Fashion lost many greats in 2022, but perhaps the most influential was the schoolteacher turned seamstress who defined a movement

The fashion world lost many notable figures last year, including France's Thierry Mugler and Japan's Issey Miyake. But, right at the end of the year came the passing of Vivienne Westwood, a pioneer of punk fashion. 

Westwood's works may be part of fashion history, but they are woven into the fabric of the current scene too. Westwood, a former schoolteacher, got her start in the industry in partnership with music producer Malcolm McLaren, becoming a seamstress at a shop called Let it Rock. The shop was rebranded in 1972 to Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die before they settled on the now-famous name SEX in 1974. 

When The Sex Pistols burst onto the scene in 1975 with their loud, abrasive style, and anti-establishment mentality, the band's collaboration with Westwood and McLaren helped shake the music world. Their sound came from McLaren's experiences with the New York Dolls and The Ramones, while their style came from Westwood's S&M-inspired 'anti-fashion'.

The Sex Pistols revolutionised the music scene of the 70s and left an indelible mark on pop music that persists to this day. But their impact on fashion was just as groundbreaking.

Punk was the start of deconstructionist fashion, which became an integral part of the work of contemporary designers like Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo in Japan. And the ripple effect didn't stop there. The trends of many subsequent decades stem from Westwood's conception of the future that featured designs that could be shocking, alienating, boundary-pushing, and dazzling. Even the ripped jeans fad is an intentional throwback to her style.

One scandalous trend Westwood pioneered was the use of underwear as outerwear. No, the corsets of today weren't an evolution of Superman's trunks. It was part of SEX's efforts to raise a middle finger to the buttoned-up conservative society of 70s England by bringing the looks from underground S&M clubs to the masses. Designs worn as recently as last year by actor Rowan Blanchard (Girl Meets World, Spy Kids), model Bella Hadid, and singer-songwriter FKA Twigs showcase the impact of her designs. The transition of corsets from underwear to a chic, form-fitting outerwear option was not an idea born from new minds. It was established long before the 1990s by a designer who spearheaded changes in Haute and ready-to-wear couture. 

Without Vivienne Westwood, modern fashion would not be what it is today. Instead of being a rebellious sign of youth and anti-establishment values, ripped jeans would be signs of a threadbare working class. And yet they're worn by some of the most famous, successful, and fashionable people in the world when they want to appear casual. 

But Westwood didn't just change the fashion industry. She also transformed the status quo of pop culture by bringing a broader range of expression and accessorising to the mainstream. Her looks heralded a sea change in acceptability, taste, and style that shaped modern society. Without her, the worlds of fashion and art may have been more restrictive than they are today.  

This article is part of Stripe, bdnews24.com's special publication focusing on culture and society from a youth perspective.