On December 29, 2022, the famous British stylist Vivienne Westwood died at the age of 81. The terrible news was announced by her company on Twitter reading: “The world needs people like Vivienne to change for the better”. The terrible child of fashion” is said to have died “surrounded by her family, in Clapham, south London”. But this had us thinking about how much the famous British designer was worth just before she died. Here’s the net worth of Vivienne Westwood on the day she died. 

How Much Was Vivienne Westwood’s Net Worth When She Died?

Sad news for the fashion world, designer Vivienne Westwood was a key figure in fashion. On Instagram, her relatives announced her disappearance through a press release accompanied by a photograph of the stylist saying: “Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her loved ones in Clapham, South London, she was able to enjoy everything she loved until her last moments, designing, writing her book, working on her art, and changing the world for the better. She led an incredible life. Her meaning of innovation and its impact over the past 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future”. 

So with such fame, what was Vivienne Westwood’s net worth? 

• Vivienne Westwood was an English form designer who had a fortune of around $50 million during the time of her death. 

• Westwood moved to London in 1958 at the age of 17, to study at the Harrow School of Art and thus join the famous University of Westminster. It was there that she premeditated fashion but only stayed there for a semester. After a difficult start, she then became a teacher in a primary school until 1971, but always with the aim of making a living from fashion.

• Vivienne Westwood did a few jobs before fame because she was in a teacher-training college during which she also began to make her own jewelry that she sold in a stand. 

• Then in 1962 she married Derek Westwood, for whom she made her own upholstery. Their son, Benjamin, was born in 1963. 

• The couple’s nuptials fell apart when she met Malcolm McLaren, whom she moved in with shortly after. Once Malcolm McLaren became the manager of Sex Pistols the couple designed and created punk-themed clothing that the band wore which became extremely mainstream. The couple also owned a store called SEX and a fashion collection called Pirate, Savages, Buffalo/Nostalgia of Mud, Punkature, and more until Westwood went solo to display another collection titled Clint Eastwood.

• She had a son, Joseph Corre, with McLaren, who founded the joint lingerie brand, Agent Provocateur. 

• Later on, she married Andreas Kronthaler; the couple lived in a Queen Anne-type house built in 1703. 

• Vivienne Westwood Ltd, her company opened its first American outlet in Manhattan in 2015 in addition to having 12 outlets across the UK. 

5 Other Interesting Things About Vivienne Westwood:

1. Nicknamed “the terrible child of fashion” despite giving up FUR: 

She revolutionized fashion, translating into her fabrics the rock spirit that blew through her time, embodied the London underground, and contributed to being a true international reference in the vast field of fashion. She was known for her quirky, colorful designs, as well as her headwear – especially hats. Born in April 1941, she left home at the age of 17 to go to London. 

It was in the politically engaged 1970s decade that Westwood’s career really took off. Her collections have the singularity of following the musical currents of the times, from the hippie period to the punk period in particular. 

By drawing inspiration from popular cultures, she was able to shake up the well-established codes of the time in the field of haute couture. An influence that also comes from the one who will become her husband, Malcolm McLaren, who is also the manager of the Sex Pistols. Together, they open a shop which is immediately a great success. 

Not only did their collections grow but it was also their influence that led Westwood to work during her career with brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney. 

One of the most outstanding aspects of her work lies in her political commitment. For example, she decided to no longer use fur in her collections and publicly showed her support for NGOs such as Greenpeace. 

2. She was a Dame:

Born as Vivienne Isabel Swire, she acquired the honorary title of “Dame”, the female equivalent of “Sir” among our British neighbors. 

The English stylist who was born Vivienne Swire had kept the name of her first husband Derek Westwood after their divorce in 1966.

3. Speaking of royal names, Westwood had a grudge against Kate Middleton:

Known for her eccentric outfits and her outspokenness, not even Kate Middleton was able to escape Vivienne Westwood’s comments and criticism. The British stylist commented on the look of the Duchess of Cambridge, for the better, but especially for the worse. In 2001, she asked the Sunday Times Magazine about her beauty routine: “I think she has a problem with her eye makeup. That sharp line around her eyes makes her look harsh “.

The stylist then advises Middleton “to put it all over the eye, or not to put it at all”. But for Vivienne Westwood, it’s not just her use of mascara that’s a problem. According to her, the wife of Prince William ” returns the image of an ordinary woman with her outfits that can be found in any store”. The designer decides: “I think she should rather reflect the image of an exceptional woman. Regardless of where she buys her clothes”.

On the other hand, Kate Middleton and her impeccable blow-dry, despite the rain or her simple and effective ponytails for royal events speak in contrast to Vivienne’s idea of Kate not being “exceptional”. 

4. She wasn’t ready to dress Kate Middleton for her wedding either:

Later, the widow of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren attacks Kate Middleton’s wedding dress when she was asked who would do Kate’s wedding dress. 

“It’s not going to be me definitely, or I would have found out. I would have liked to dress Kate Middleton, but I have to wait for that until she has a little more style”, she laughs on the sidelines of her Fall/Winter 2011 show at London Fashion Week. 

“I don’t have any advice for her other than to put on the same clothes multiple times because it’s very good for the environment and it would send a very nice message. Please take a lot of effort to find an outfit that suits you, so it’s better to wear it for a while, she said. I mean, you don’t have to have a red outfit one day and another almost identical in blue the next day”. 

Advice that Kate Middleton seems to have followed by recycling several of her outfits. 

5. Godmother of punk: 

Dame Vivienne Westwood is best known for bringing punk elements to their current form, as well as new wave designs. Although these elements have been around for years, her influence and designs have helped bring them to the mainstream. 

The craftswoman of another creation Vivienne Westwood was of primary importance, shaking up the 1970s and the world of music. Her London clothing store – called “SEX” – was the same store where the Sex Pistols (the first wick of the British punk movement) were formed, under the rule of their manager Malcolm McLaren who was Vivienne Westwood’s boyfriend at the time.