Dame Vivienne Westwood Parents: Meet Dora Swire, Gordon Swire

Vivienne Westwood is the daughter of Gordon Swire and Dora Swire. They got married two years and two weeks after the outbreak of the second world war

At the time of Vivienne’s birth, her father was employed as a storekeeper in an aircraft factory; he had previously worked as a greengrocer.

The family moved to Harrow, Greater London and Westbrook took a jewellery and silversmith course at the University of Westminster.

Vivienne is largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new-wave fashions into the mainstream.

Westwood rose to fame when she made clothes for the boutique she and Malcolm McLaren ran on King’s road, which became known as SEX.