DAME Vivienne Westwood was the queen of British fashion.
She was born Vivienne Swire, but became famous as Westwood, the surname of her first husband Derek.
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Who is Derek Westwood?
Not much is known publicly about Derek Westwood.
A Vogue article states that he was a Hoover factory apprentice when he and Vivienne first met.
In 2012, The Evening Standard revealed that Derek was a retired commercial airline pilot who lived in Leicestershire.
Derek was Vivienne’s first husband and and it was with his surname of Westwood that she found fame, bringing punk to high fashion runways worldwide
When did Vivienne and Derek get married?
The couple met at a dance in 1961 after Vivienne and her family moved to Harrow from Derbyshire.
Vivienne married Derek in 1962, wearing a wedding dress that she designed and made.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 1965.
Do they have any children?
They had one son together, Benjamin Westwood, who was born in 1963.
After their marriage ended, Vivienne fled the marital home to her aunt Ethel’s caravan in North Wales with her infant son.
Who is Derek and Vivienne’s son Benjamin?
Benjamin Westwood is the eldest son of Vivienne.
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His parents split up when he was just three years old and he spent much of his childhood with his mother’s parents.
He worked as an erotic photographer from the age of 28.
Before that he had roles in post offices and factories before moving into production for his mother.
In the early 2000s he said to the Independent: “Well obviously I’m a photographer, but I’d actually prefer to be known as a pornographer.”
On June 1, 2005, he published a book titled F**k Fashion which is a book of his erotic prints combined with stylish clothing and lingerie.
In 2009, British Vogue wrote that Ben had followed his mother’s footsteps into the fashion world.
He debuted his menswear collection in 2010 at London Fashion Week.
His line was then exclusively stocked at A Child of The Jago, a boutique store owned by his half-brother Joe Corre.
Corre is Vivienne’s son with record producer Malcolm McLaren.
Who was Vivienne’s husband Andreas Kronthaler?
Vivienne met Andreas Kronthaler in 1988 while teaching at the Vienna School of Applied Art.
Andreas is a designer and creative director who comes from Tyrol, Austria.
Five years after initially meeting, the two tied the knot in 1993 and remained happily married until her death on December 29, 2022.
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