Vivienne Westwood

1. Not just a designer, she was appointed Professor of Fashion at the Vienna Academy of Applied Arts in 1989, Honorary Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art in 1992 and Professor of Fashion at the Berliner Hochschule der Künste in 1993.

2. She created the very first corset intended as an outer garment rather than underwear.

3. Vivienne began her working career as a primary school teacher.

4. Westwood’s wedding gowns are well known. Unlike most designers, she does not restrict herself to white and ivory.

5. Vivienne has created her own tartan called MacAndreas, which was given recognition by the official museum in Locharron.

6. One of her most iconic items of clothing is the infamous t-shirt with the photographic print of a woman’s naked breasts.

7. Westwood has been awarded Designer of the Year at The British Fashion Council Awards an impressive three times.

8. She is a big activist and uses her catwalk shows to talk about culture and politics, more specifically about the urgent need to act against climate change.

9. She was awarded an OBE in 1992, and became a Dame in 2006.

10. Vivienne Westwood supports eco charity Cool Earth, and donated a million pounds to the cause in 2012.