Mourners are taking a moment to remember Dame Vivienne Westwood and laying flowers outside her iconic blue boutique on the Kings Road. The pioneering designer died "peacefully, surrounded by family and friends" yesterday (December 29) at her home in Clapham, south London, aged 81. Although she has numerous stores across London, this particular location holds the utmost significance in the punk-pioneering designer’s career.
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Former model Sara Stockbridge outside the iconic boutique in the 1980s
The iconic shop located at 430 Kings Road in the Worlds End district of Chelsea, was established in 1971 and is credited as the place where Dame Vivienne and Malcolm McLaren (her second husband, a clothing designer and band manager of the Sex Pistols) first showcased their ideas and designs. The eclectic boutique was renamed many times during their punk rock reign, with the name Worlds End staying after its final makeover.
Her eponymous brand’s website explains: “Using fashion as a platform to make political statements, and constructing garments using unconventional techniques, the pair were at the forefront of London youth culture and famously created the template for punk style. Their shop was renamed and redecorated regularly to reflect the designs sold inside, ending up as Worlds End in 1980 to showcase the “Pirate” collection, the name it holds to this day.”
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Because the shop became such a poignant hub in the development of the Vivienne Westwood empire, Vivienne released a collection called The Worlds End collection. “Today, the Worlds End Collection is a range of iconic Vivienne Westwood unisex pieces (including Bondage Trousers, kilts and slogan tee-shirts) that are made using leftover production fabrics from previous seasons. Created with waste in mind, pieces are produced in limited runs, with quantities based on the amount of left-over fabrics available.”
A huge loss for the fashion industry.
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