Designer Crochet: Vivienne Westwood – Fashion Icon

A punk, radical, game-changer designer and activist, Vivienne Westwood has left quite the impression and legacy on the fashion industry over her decades-long career.

Many around the world adore Vivienne Westwood’s clothing and her undeniable influence on punk style. Having set sail for her final destination on December 29th, 2022, we want to give a glimpse of the life and legacy of this designer while showcasing the ways she includes crochet in her designs.

About Fashion Designer Vivienne Westwood

Born in England in 1941, Westwood started out as an elementary school teacher before becoming a fashion designer. It was in 1970 that she opened a clothing boutique that went through numerous name changes before settling on Worlds End.

It became a haven for the anti-hippie subculture of the era. She worked in the boutique, creating her own style of punk clothing mostly by upcycling existing items.

As her work continued she began to get influence from a variety of sources ranging from local sex workers to historical costumes and eventually, in 1981, she presented her first London fashion collection called Pirate.

In 1992 she got attention for her costume designs and then in 1998 she launched a fragrance and opened her first US flagship store in New York the following year.

Westwood has collaborated with Wolford and Nine West, had retrospectives of her work, won awards, and had her designs worn by royalty and celebrities (including Gwen Stefani in the music video for the song Spiderwebs).

Vivienne Westwood and Fiber Arts

Although Vivienne Westwood does not use extensive crochet in her designs, we certainly see some beautifully knit and crocheted pieces as well as other types of fiber arts crafts.  

Take a peak at these six Vivienne Westwood designs that all bring yarn and needles into use. 

Hannah
Hannah Ege

A life long crocheter and knitter, Hannah is a creative person who enjoys designing their own patterns while having deep appreciation and love for timeless designs. Hannah's first official job was in a yarn store as a teenager and even now they regularly knit and crochet for friends and commissioned pieces. When not busy with fiber, Hannah enjoys all things coffee, reading, hiking and spending time with their kid.

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