Which British fashion designer was famously dubbed the 'Queen of Punk'?

Vivienne Westwood was the British fashion designer famously dubbed the “Queen of Punk.” Her designs helped turn punk's rebellious street style into a defining fashion movement of the 1970s.

Westwood first gained attention through the London boutiques she ran with Malcolm McLaren, including Let It Rock, SEX, and Seditionaries on King's Road. Their clothing used bondage straps, safety pins, provocative graphics, exposed construction, and deliberately torn fabrics. The work closely intersected with the music scene McLaren helped shape around the Sex Pistols.

Westwood's importance extended beyond shock value. She drew on historical dress, tailoring, corsetry, and political imagery, combining them with punk's confrontational attitude. Later collections moved into eighteenth-century references, romantic tailoring, and historical silhouettes while retaining her interest in challenging social conventions.

The nickname should not be confused with “Queen of British Fashion,” another label often used for Westwood. Alexander McQueen and Mary Quant were major British designers, but Westwood is the canonical answer when the clue specifically refers to punk.