Vivienne Westwood Quotes

Powerful Vivienne Westwood for Daily Growth

About Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Isabel Swire, better known as Vivienne Westwood, was born on April 8, 1941, in Glossop, Derbyshire, England. Raised in a working-class family, her early life was marked by adversity, with her mother suffering from mental health issues and being institutionalized when Vivienne was just eight years old. Westwood's love for fashion emerged during her teenage years, and she honed her skills as a primary school teacher, designing clothes in her spare time. In 1964, she moved to London, where she met Malcolm McLaren, a fellow counterculture figure who would become her partner in life and work. Together, they opened the boutique "Let It Rock" in 1971, which quickly evolved into "SEX" and then "Too Fast To Live, Too Young To Die." These iconic stores were the birthplace of the punk movement, with Westwood designing stage costumes for bands like the Sex Pistols. In 1981, Westwood launched her eponymous label, becoming one of the most influential designers in the fashion industry. She is known for her bold, unconventional designs that challenge traditional norms and push boundaries. Her works often reflect her activism, with themes like climate change, consumerism, and politics regularly appearing in her collections. Westwood has been awarded numerous times for her contributions to fashion. In 2006, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. Throughout her career, she has inspired countless designers and continues to be a powerful voice in the world of fashion and beyond. Her quotes reflect her strong opinions on various topics, including sustainability, individuality, and the importance of challenging the status quo.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Buy less, choose well."

Vivienne Westwood's quote "Buy less, choose well" emphasizes the importance of conscious consumption in fashion. Rather than accumulating excessive clothing, she encourages people to invest in high-quality, durable pieces that align with their personal style. This approach not only reduces waste and environmental impact but also promotes individuality and sustainability in the fashion industry. It's a call for mindful shopping habits, where quality is prioritized over quantity.


"I think it's so much more interesting to do things that matter."

This quote by Vivienne Westwood emphasizes the importance of doing things that have a significant impact or make a difference, rather than focusing on trivial matters. It encourages individuals to strive for meaningful actions and pursuits in life, which can contribute positively to society and bring about change. This mindset promotes purposeful living and fosters personal growth through impactful activities.


"Ornament is a kind of necessary evil."

In this quote, Vivienne Westwood suggests that ornamentation, while aesthetically pleasing, may not always be essential to design or art. She implies that ornaments serve a purpose, but they can sometimes become excesses that detract from the fundamental essence of a piece. This perspective invites designers and artists to strike a balance between functionality and embellishment, ensuring that ornamentation enhances rather than obscures the core idea or utility of their work.


"If you want to change society, don't worry about changing the government... just wear something pink."

This quote by Vivienne Westwood suggests that personal choices and expressions, such as wearing pink, can have a powerful impact on society. She implies that collective changes in behavior, fashion, or lifestyle can create a shift in societal norms and values, potentially driving larger-scale change more effectively than direct political action alone. Essentially, she encourages individuals to use their personal choices as agents of social change.


"The more you can make one thing serve many purposes, the better it is for everybody and for the planet."

This quote by Vivienne Westwood emphasizes the importance of versatility and multi-functionality in design. By creating items that can be used for multiple purposes, we reduce waste, conserve resources, and lessen our impact on the environment. This approach benefits everyone as it promotes sustainability, efficiency, and innovation in design and production processes.


There's nowhere else like London. Nothing at all, anywhere.

- Vivienne Westwood

Nowhere, Like, Else, London

I didn't consider myself a fashion designer at all at the time of punk. I was just using fashion as a way to express my resistance and to be rebellious. I came from the country, and by the time I got to London, I considered myself to be very stupid. It was my ambition to understand the world I live in.

- Vivienne Westwood

Country, Very, By The Time, London

I have considered voting Conservative because I am so against the Labour party.

- Vivienne Westwood

I Am, Conservative, Labour Party

When we started to do punk, we put all of these things together to create the look of an urban guerrilla - a rebel.

- Vivienne Westwood

Look, Started, Guerrilla, Rebel

Home, more than anything, means warmth and bed.

- Vivienne Westwood

Bed, More, Means, Warmth

My clothes have always got a very strong dynamic rapport with the body - they are very body conscious, they help you to look glamorous, more hourglass, more woman.

- Vivienne Westwood

Strong, Always, Very, Hourglass

When I was a little girl you used to learn to sew all the holes in things, darning socks, but nobody mends things anymore.

- Vivienne Westwood

Learn, Socks, Used, Sew

The muscular, athletic type is not representative of the human race, who are varied in their physique.

- Vivienne Westwood

Race, Muscular, Varied, Physique

What changed our lives forever was when Malcolm had the idea to sell rock 'n roll records to trendy customers.

- Vivienne Westwood

Records, Idea, Lives, Malcolm

The hippie movement politicized my generation. When it ended, we all started looking back at our own history, looking, in my case, for motives of rebellion.

- Vivienne Westwood

Looking Back, Generation, Hippie

Prince Charles is definitely my hero; he uses his position to do only good in this world.

- Vivienne Westwood

Good, Hero, Charles, None

We wanted to step off our island and add the color of the third world. We got gold cigarette paper and stuck it around our teeth. We really did look like pirates and dressed to look the part.

- Vivienne Westwood

Add, Cigarette, Third World, Pirates

Our economic system, run for profit and waste and based primarily on the extractive industries, is the cause of climate change. We have wasted the earth's treasure and we can no longer exploit it cheaply.

- Vivienne Westwood

Waste, Based, Cheaply, Economic System

The main message we want to get out there is that climate change is caused by the rotten economic system.

- Vivienne Westwood

Change, Want, Caused, Economic System

The bravery shown by Azza Suleiman who dared to stand up for another woman who was being beaten, and paid a heavy price in doing so, is both awe-inspiring and humbling.

- Vivienne Westwood

Woman, Doing, Another, Humbling

Print some money and give it to us for the rain forests.

- Vivienne Westwood

Rain, Give, Some, Forests

Don't just eat McDonald's, get something a bit better. Eat a salad. That's what fashion is. It's something that is a bit better.

- Vivienne Westwood

Salad, Better, Get, McDonald

I think feminists are unaware of the tremendous extent of the role of women in history.

- Vivienne Westwood

Think, Extent, Feminists, Unaware

The arts have only ever interested a small minority of people, which acted as a kind of nursery to support artists.

- Vivienne Westwood

Small, Kind, Which, Nursery

I own my own company, so I've never had businessmen telling me what to do or getting worried if something doesn't sell. I've always had my own access to the public, because I started off making my clothes for a little shop and so I've always had people buying them.

- Vivienne Westwood

Access, Telling, Shop, Businessmen

The capitalist system is about taking from the Earth and from the other great commodity, labour. What's happening with this system is that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and the only way out of it is supposed to be growth. But growth is debt. It's going to make the situation worse.

- Vivienne Westwood

Other, About, Commodity, Richer

I was born during the war and grew up in a time of rationing. We didn't have anything. It's influenced the way I look at the world.

- Vivienne Westwood

Born, I Was Born, Influenced, Rationing

I have a company, and I've got to think about that. I'm trying to do my best there, and that's a much harder task. We recycle as much as possible, and we conserve. But I've always been one to save everything - I even walk up stairs on the very inside or the very outside to not wear out the tread.

- Vivienne Westwood

Stairs, Been, Very, Tread

I always thought we had an environmental problem, but I hadn't realized how urgent it was. James Lovelock writes that by the end of this century there will be one billion people left.

- Vivienne Westwood

Environmental, Will, Always, Writes

Economists treat economics as if it is a pure science divorced from the facts of life. The result of this false accountancy is a willful confusion under cover of which industry wreaks its havoc scot-free and ignores the environmental cost.

- Vivienne Westwood

Treat, Pure, Industry, Confusion

The sexiest people are thinkers. Nobody's interested in somebody who's just vain with a hole in their head, talking about the latest thing - there is no latest thing. It's all rubbish.

- Vivienne Westwood

Vain, Thinkers, About, Sexiest

I'm not sure what I think about current fashion, though. A few years ago, I would have said it's really, really bad and you hardly ever see anybody looking good. There must be some very good designers in the world.

- Vivienne Westwood

Some, I Think, Very, Hardly

The main message of Climate Revolution is that climate change is caused by the rotten financial system we've got, designed to create poverty and rip off any profits for a small amount of rich people. Meanwhile, it destroys the earth.

- Vivienne Westwood

Financial, Small, Main, Meanwhile

The only possible effect one can have on the world is through unpopular ideas.

- Vivienne Westwood

World, Through, Effect, Unpopular

What I'm always trying to say to the consumer is: buy less, choose well, make it last.

- Vivienne Westwood

Trying, Always, Last, Consumer

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