The super-local tributes to Dame Vivienne Westwood
Tributes to fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood came from far and wide after her death was announced earlier this week.
For the Glossop Chronicle, the tributes had a unique flavour as the paper focused on celebrating the 81-year-old’s roots.
Dame Vivienne was born in Tintwistle, near Glossop, and even has a mural in her own locally too.
She made her name with her controversial punk and new wave styles in the 1970s and went on to dress some of the biggest names in fashion. She established a global fashion brand which has stores in the UK, France, Italy, America and Asia today.
The Chronicle charted Dame Vivienne’s early years in its obituary, including the fact she was born Vivienne Isabel Swire in 1941 and lived as a youngster at Millbrook, between Hollingworth and Tintwistle.
The Chroncle also reported that she later moved to the sub-post office at Manchester Road in Tintwistle, where her parents were post masters. After she attended the local village school, she won a scholarship to Glossop Grammar School, where she excelled at art.
Local tributes came from organisations including Glossop Creates, which promotes the area’s creative sector. They said: “She came from our small northern town and changed popular culture forever.”
Local councillors and politicians also paid tribute, as did the local campaign group Free Frack Glossop. They said: “ To us though she is Glossopdale’s most famous daughter, and a powerful advocate for many good causes, who joined us for the fight against fracking. She will be missed. Rest in peace.”
You can read the full tribute article from the Chronicle here.
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