Vivienne Westwood

Westwood was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in the village of Tintwistle, Derbyshireon 8 April 1941, the daughter of Gordon Swire and Dora Swire (née Ball), who had married two years previously, two weeks after the outbreak of World War II.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.

Aged 17, Vivienne and her family moved to Harrow, London. She studied at the Harrow School of Art - University of Westminster, taking fashion and silversmithing, but she left after one term saying, "I didn't know how a working-class girl like me could possibly make a living in the art world".After taking up a job in a factory and studying at a teacher-training college, she became a primary school teacher.During this period, she also created her own jewellery, which she would sell at a stall on Portobello Road.

In 1961, Vivienne Swire met Derek Westwood, a Hoover factory apprentice, in Harrow.They married on 21 July 1962 and Vivienne made her own wedding dress for the ceremony. In 1963, she gave birth to a son, Benjamin Westwood.