Ode to Vivienne

In 1971, primary school teacher Vivienne Westwood and her boyfriend, Malcolm McLaren, opened a small boutique at 430 King’s Road, London called Let it Rock. Unbeknownst to the pair, the shop would serve as a vessel for launching Westwood’s designs into mainstream fashion and solidifying her as one of fashion’s greatest influences.

The location served as a home to Westwood’s multiple rebrands, most notably opening the doors of SEX and Seditionariesto the punks of the 1970s. Straying away from Westwood’s previous vintage-inspired collections from the beginning of her career, SEX was known for its provocative fetish and bondage wear inspired by bikers and prostitutes, complete with leather whips, chains, and latex pieces. This iconic era of Westwood’s designs aimed to embrace and explore the taboo, kickstarting the beginning of the punk movement in the UK. Among the customers of SEX were numerous British icons such as Siouxsie Sioux and the original members of Malcolm McLaren’s band, The Sex Pistols. Though it wasn’t until the shop was renamed and rebranded to Seditionaries that the location would become the epicenter of punk fashion. Here, Westwood began to experiment with and design her trademark tartan pieces that would become the quintessential motif in her brand for years to come.

To this day, Westwood’s new and recommissioned archival garments continue to be sold at her original location in London, now called Worlds End. Even 50 years later, celebrities and musicians from ASAP Rocky to Kim Kardashian sport her works on and off the red carpets and on magazine covers. Seen in recent years is the rising popularity of Westwood’s iconic orb insignia, with the pearl necklace featuring the signature orb pendant becoming a viral fashion staple for both men and women. Though, despite her demand and acclaim, Westwood always kept her political beliefs at the forefront, going as far as to cease the expansion of her company in 2013 to combat environmental and sustainability issues arising in the world of fashion. For Westwood, designing and producing clothes was more than just fashion; it was her way of sparking an artistic and political movement. By utilizing her influence in the punk scene, Vivienne encouraged others to copy or recreate her designs, making punk fashion accessible to all and promoting a sense of unity in the often misunderstood subculture. In a 1998 interview, she stated, “Sedition to us means to seduce people into revolt and that’s what we’re trying to do”. Influence, longevity, timelessness.

Despite starting her fashion career at the age of 30, Vivienne Westwood managed to cement herself in history as the queen of punk and new-wave fashion over the course of her 50-year-long career. Westwood’s legacy in the world of fashion will continue to influence others for years to come, considering the lasting demand of her timeless, and iconic pieces. Thanks to her, punk will always be in fashion. Long live the Queen.

Strike Out,

Digital Director: Isabel Choi

Concept/Digital Staffers: Dalton Lain, Jasmyn Garvey, Sophia Poole, Priscilla Chierico

Assisted by: Megan Mohrmann

Stylists: Alexis Brown & Marriana Gutierrez

Models: Emmett Higgins, Jasmin Martinez, Megan Almonte

Photographer: Kevin Farley

Written By: Jayna O

Tallahassee