Dame Vivienne Westwood publishes biography

Vivienne Westwood
The self-titled work – which was released today (10.10.14) – was written in collaboration with historian and biographer Ian Kelly and is described by the fashion designer herself as a “story nobody ever did before”.

She said: “‘The living deserve respect. The dead deserve the truth.

“Ian and I are working together on this and I am excited that this will be my story, the story nobody ever did before.”

The story follows the life of the fashion legend from her upbringing in rural Derbyshire, her career and her relationships with her husband and business partner Malcolm McLaren, as well as her second marriage to her former student Andreas Kronthal.

Ian confessed he was pleased to have finally told the “truth” about the “huge-hearted” 73-year-old designer, describing her as his friend, subject and muse.

He said: “She is passionately committed to human rights and to eco-politics, but as well as that I am keen to tell the truth about a huge-hearted, warm and witty individual, whose face and clothes are known the world over, but who is also recognisably the Derbyshire primary school teacher who met and fell in love with Malcolm McLaren and changed the world.”

The work also features heartfelt letters from Vivienne’s close friends – which throughout her life have included Pamela Anderson, Prince Charles, human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabati, models Naomi Campbell and Jerry Hall, Bob Geldof and Julian Assange.

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