The world lost two icons yesterday with the passing of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and Brazilian soccer legend Pele.
Westwood died Thursday in Clapham, London “peacefully and surrounded by family,” a post on her Instagram said.
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“Vivienne continued to do the things she loved, up until the last moment, designing, working on her art, writing her book, and changing her world for the better,” the post continued. “She led an amazing life. Her innovation and impact over the last 60 years has been immense and will continue into the future.”
Westwood rose to prominence as a designer in the 1970s as a leader of the punk fashion movement. She began her career with a London design store, SEX, which opened in 1974, and drew the attention of rock stars such as The Sex Pistols, Chrissie Hynde, and Adam Ant.
She would go on to become one of the leading designers of the era, and is credited with bringing punk fashion into the mainstream.
The cause of her death has not been specified. She was 81.
Pele, widely considered to be one of the greatest soccer players of all time, also died on Thursday. He was 82.
Pele began playing professional soccer when still in his teens, first with the Brazilian club Santos, and then as a member of the country’s national team. Over the course of his career – he retired in 1977 – he would go on to win three World Cups and score 1,279 goals in 1,363 games.
Pele died of complications from colon cancer, which he had been in treatment for since 2021. His agent confirmed his death in a statement published by ESPN: “The king has passed.”
