A new exhibition at the V & A in London celebrates the extraordinary career of Vivienne Westwood. She played a vital role in the emergence of Punk Rock in the 1970s and has gone on to become one of the most original and influential designers of our time. Fashion, she said, was 'a baby I picked up and never put down'.
Vivienne talks to Woman's Hour about how the establishment against which she first rebelled became instrumental in her development; the inspiration she has drawn from history; and how she views the press and public who don't appreciate her work.
And two advocates of Vivienne's designs tell us what her clothes mean to them: you might not think Tracy Emin and Anne Robinson need outfits that make them feel powerful, but that isn't how they see it.
Vivienne Westwood: 34 Years In Fashion is at the V& A Museum, London until the 11 July 2004
