Dame Vivienne Westwood dies aged 81: Music stars including Yungblud, Chrissie Hynde and more honour the late fashion designer

Figures from the music world have been paying tribute to British fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, who died on December 29 2022.

Although not actually a musician herself, Westwood was forever synonymous with the aesthetic of the punk movement, via SEX, the clothing boutique she co-ran with her then-husband Malcolm McLaren, and whose creations would be worn by Sex Pistols, as well as moving elements of punk, fetish and new wave clothing into the cultural mainstream.

SEX was also the ground zero where musicians such as Chrissie Hynde (who used to work at the shop), Marco Pirroni and Sid Vicious would meet with likeminded types and go on to form bands.

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From there, she became a significant face in British fashion with collections such as New Romantic, Pirates, Pagan Years and Buffalo, and her subversion of the class system saw her draw inspiration from and was often the designer of choice for a host of musicians such as Boy George, Adam and The Ants, Bow Wow Wow, Madonna, Pete Burns, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

Westwood became a British icon, opening shops worldwide and operating as a doyen of the fashion world. She designed uniforms for Virgin Atlantic as well as being awarded an OBE in 1992 for her services to fashion and awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2006.

In later years, Westwood would also use her platform as an activist, speaking out against fashion’s use of fur, fracking and created Climate Revolution as an initiative to combat global warming and climate change.

Westwood’s fashion house announced her death on Twitter, saying: "The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better."

29th December 2022.

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. pic.twitter.com/YQwVixYUrV

— Vivienne Westwood (@FollowWestwood) December 29, 2022

Yungblud wrote: "you gave me the courage to express myself. you were the reason i left the house with the confidence to look the way i did. heartbroken. thankyou for everythin, viv. RIP"

Yoko Ono honoured the 'beautiful and elegant' designer, saying: "Rest in peace, Vivienne. What a woman - so young at heart, motivated, beautiful and elegant. Our love and deepest condolences go out to Andreas, Ben, Joseph and families. Love, yoko."

Chrissie Hynde wrote: "Vivienne is gone and the world is already a less interesting place. Love you Viv. Chrissie."

Meanwhile, Sex Pistols star Glen Matlock said: "I have just heard the sad news indeed about a one off, single minded, talented lady. 

"A privilege to have rubbed shoulders with her in the mid ‘70s at the birth of punk and the waves it created that still resound today for the disaffected.

"My thoughts are with her friends and family."

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