Vivienne Westwood Biography

Vivienne Westwood is one of the most recognised and influential designers of the late twentieth century. Vivienne Isabel Swire was born on April 8, 1941 in the English town of Glossop in Derbyshire. She began designing clothes in 1971. Also that year she has opened her first boutique Let It Rock, later renamed Sex and sold ripped T-shirts and chains. Her career blossomed in `70 when she began dressing one of the most popular groups of that time Sex Pistols.The Punk era had began.

In 1981 Vivienne has showed her first seminal collection `Pirate` in London. Her first menswear collection was lunched in Florence. Becasue of her magnificent work she was named British Designer of the year in 1990 and also 1991.  8 years later she had won the Queen`s Export Award. In 2007 Westwood also won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design.

Westwood's son by McLaren, Joe Corre, is the founder of Agent Provocateur, while her other son, Ben, is an erotic photographer.