Vivienne Westwood: God Save the Queen

Runway trends never influenced Vivienne Westwood - she was always inspired by her own particular obsessions. Dubbed the 'Mother of Punk', Vivienne designed all of the Sex Pistols' outfits and thus helped shape the aesthetic of the entire punk rock movement. When the band split up, Vivienne was torn about where her fashion and creations would go next. She wanted to build off the momentum she gained by working with the group, but on the other hand, she wanted to establish an identity of her own. In 1981 Vivienne and Malcolm McLaren made their debut at London Fashion Week. The collection was called Pirates. And the rest, well, that's history. Vivienne Westwood has dominated the industry since the 1980s, leaving a permanent mark on the fashion world and culture at large. Her supermodel moments were legendary, but Westwood's political and fashion stances may have been what made her the most punk. She warned us about climate change, opposed fracking, defended controversial characters, and engaged in media-savvy stunts to promote her favourite causes before the designer-turned-activist trend emerged. Her name is not just beloved within the industry but in the world at large.