Fashion icon Vivienne Westwood passed away peacefully Dec. 29 while surrounded by her family in Clapham, South London.
Westwood’s team released a statement on Instagram announcing her death and sharing memories of the legend who changed the face of the fashion industry.
“Vivienne continued to do the things she loved, up until the last moment, designing, working on her art, writing her book, and changing the world for the better,” her team wrote. “She led an amazing life. Her innovation and impact over the last 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future.”
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Her team captured the essence of Westwood’s spirit, her determination to pave her own path in the world of fashion, and her insatiable appetite for expressing her own creative spirit at every turn.
“Vivienne considered herself a Taoist,” Westwood’s team said before quoting the designer’s own words: “She wrote, ‘Tao spiritual system. There was never more need for the Tao today. Tao gives you a feeling that you belong to the cosmos and gives purpose to your life; it gives you such a sense of identity and strength to know you’re living the life you can live and therefore ought to be living: make full use of your character and full use of your life on earth.'”
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
The touching tribute concluded with a simple, heartfelt message: “The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better.”
Westwood was a British treasure who wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries of self-expression in fashion. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood wore Westwood’s designs, including Dua Lipa, Rita Ora, Elle Fanning, Adwoa Aboah and Duckie Thot. (RELATED: Kate Hudson Says She Chose Bikinis Over Booze For The Sake Of A Movie Role)
Hailey Bieber wore a Vivienne Westwood dress at her rehearsal dinner in 2019, and Miley Cyrus donned a Westwood bridal gown at her 2018 wedding. The fashion legend also dressed the likes of Lana Del Rey, Kate Beckinsale, Rachel McAdams, Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, Kerry Washington, Olivia Wilde, Lucy Lu and Rachel McAdams, to name a few.
She has left a footprint in the world of fashion that will never be forgotten.