The Funeral of Vivienne Westwood

The etymology of ‘punk’ has been a long debated dispute amidst the alternative scene. Most, if not all, can settle on the single idea that this lifestyle rose to prominence in the 1960s. The blasphemous profanical music of the newly formed “garage rock” genre cultivated an image of blissful poverty and glorified mediocrity; young amateurs would adorn themselves in grommets, fetishwear and often appeared ungroomed and sloppy. But what is the appeal of this adolescent rot?

To answer this question would be to explore the philosophical prospect of symbolic nihilism. Founded by Ivan turgenev, the Russian author defines a ‘nihilist’ as “a person who does not bow down to any authority, who does not accept any principle on faith, however much that principle may be honored”. The symbolism of this term however created a shift from ideology to literality long before “garage rock”, however this musical movement can be interpreted through a retrospective, introspective lense as an outlet to this philosophy. The innate teenage rebellion and tailored nuclear values, restriction of penciled midi skirts, became a mixture one could only describe as phenomenal. Informality and individuality synonymized themselves with one another and became a model close to that of religion. Teens flocked to enjoy the immaturity of their peers drowned by the banging and clashing of drums and other chaotic instruments.

Enter Vivienne Westwood, a personification of Nihilism. Years after “Garage rock” had cemented itself as a cultural goliath, the 1970s ushered the artistry of Westwood, a newly retired school teacher. The icon began this career as a curator for the aesthetic of “The Sex Pistols”,the poster child band to “garage rock”. Ramblings of her tradition shattering subversive styling reached a peak immediately before the young mogul launched her brand in 1971 for her boutique ‘Let it Rock’ before controversially being renamed in 1974 to 'Sex', later narrowing the title to her designs to ‘Vivienne Westwood’ in 1999 with her first collection’s theme being pirates. The collection was objectively successful following both critical and audience praise for her ability to experiment with kitschy and historically accurate motifs. Following the talent’s rise, an exponentiating legitimacy within creative spaces was a steady constant success, eventually becoming appointed Dame in 2006.

Eventually, after reaching a peak in success, the Dame’s brand had reached a constant in its notoriety only to eventually exponential further with contemporary mainstream consumption increasing the popularity of the Vivienne Westwood orb pearl necklace as a staple to “IT girl” status. Seen on FKA twigs, Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner, the necklace features The designer’s logo, “an Orb, a globe surmounted by a cross, used as a symbol of monarchical power and justice.” The logo’s infamy in 1986 forward would later see an untamable resurgence in 2020. Following the resurrection of her mainstream adoration, Westwood’s last 2 years of life ensued a great respect and anchored her house as one of the most esteemed and dependable in the 21st century.

“God save the Queen”, a slogan adorned on a majority of her designs in her 1977 collection for McClaren, would never come to be more significant as it was following her passing on the 29th of December. ‘The Queen of Punk’ as her fan base recognized her, passed away in her home in Clapham Town, London, United Kingdom due to natural causes at the age of 81. Fans and loved ones poured their loving support over the artist’s death, sharing a caption from her instagram reading:

‘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. She led an amazing life. Her innovation and impact over the last 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future.’

As for the future of the house of Vivienne Westwood, its legacy will be carried by her husband Andreas Kronthaler, another designer who had worked alongside her for years. Jo Adetunji for “The Conversation” links to the future of other fashion houses post the death of its faces, for instance, “Dior was succeeded by Yves Saint Laurent who had worked for two years under his predecessor’s guidance. Since Saint Laurent’s time at Dior, there have been many subsequent creative directors who have shaped its history including John Galliano and more recently Maria Grazia Churi. But, with each of these changes, a sense of Dior and his vision has remained”

As for the future of punk, we are left with one final, simple message.

“God Save the Queen”

By Loay Kaid 6F06