Fashion Philosopher

Westwood was 36 when the punk movement began. She stated that her generation was raised by the hippie movement which aimed to bring attention and justice to how horribly mismanaged society was. This was a great influence in her work. Her earlier work in the 60s and 70s aimed to shock, but also create a sort of feminist statement through her fashion. She made shirts which sported slogans that urged to kill Nazis and other bold statements. In the 80s, her fashion became more tame because she felt the shift in culture. She aimed to make commentary on the monarchy and society more subtly. Throughout her life, she was an open political activist against war and bringing attention to climate change. Unlike many other designers, we know her face and her ideals because she was bold and unashamed to be authentic. This is probably why her brand is so popular even today with the younger generations.

Here is an article which goes into more details on her activism.

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Westwood on the runway of her own show with anti-fracking posters.