Vivienne Westwood: who is husband Andreas Kronthaler? Was late fashion designer married to Malcolm McLaren?

Late designer Dame Vivienne Westwood has left a legacy in the world of fashion, with her androgynous designs, slogan t-shirts and rebellious demeanour against the status quo. Apart from her leaving behind her iconic art, she is survived by her two children and her husband after she died at the age of 81 on 29 December.

Her husband Andreas Kronthaler said in the statement: “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart. We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on with. Thank you darling.” The news of her death was announced via her Instagram handle in a lengthy post. It was stated that she was surrounded by her family in Clapham, South London, at the time of her passing.

It added: “Vivienne continued to do the things she loved, up until the last moment, designing, working on her art, writing her book, and changing the world for the better.”

The godmother of punk has been married and almost married on several occasions. Here’s everything you need to know about her partners:

Who is Vivienne Westwood’s husband Andreas Kronthaler?

Andreas Kronthaler was Westwood’s third husband, and is a creative director and fashion designer himself. Born on 26 January, 1966, the Austrian native was 25 years younger than the legendary symbol. He was made a director and secretary of his wife’s property business, which is worth £18 million.

Westwood first crossed paths with Kronthaler in 1988 when she began teaching at the Vienna School of Applied Art. Five years after their initial meeting, the duo got married in 1993. According to HITC, the Austrian designer initially trained to become a jeweller but in his free time he created clothes for family and friends.

In 1991 they designed their first joint collection, and for 30 years, Kronthaler has been an enduring influence on the edgy sensation that now displays his name. While speaking with the Evening Standard in 2019, Kronthaler revealed what kept their union strong over the years. He said: ""Don’t expect anything from your other side, from your partner, your wife or husband. Because then you’re both free to be. You know, she taught me that.”

Was Vivienne Westwood married to Malcolm McLaren?

Westwood married Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of punk band the Sex Pistols in 1971. Her younger son Joseph Corre, a businessman who founded the lingerie retailer Agent Provocateur, was born in 1967 out of her relationship with the music mogul. The couple found fame with their ‘Sex’ boutique on the King’s Road and dressing bands including the New York Dolls and then the Pistols.

In her memoir she detailed how she never really wanted to be with Malcolm. She wrote: "I didn’t want him for my boyfriend. He didn’t look after himself. And I started trying to cook for him a bit and stuff like that.”

She later went on to say that he was emotionally and physically abusive to her during their relationship. She added: "Because he’s dead, I don’t mind saying this: he behaved incredibly cruelly. Professionally, personally, in every way. He had this thing where he couldn’t leave the flat until he made me cry. He wanted to feel bad or something - he was trying to draw blood," she continued. Their marriage lasted until 1980.

After that, according to the Daily Mail, the two did not remain friends. At times, they were even enemies, as he attempted to throttle her business in the press. She said: "He tried to destroy everything I had”. McLaren died aged 64 in 2010 in Switzerland after battling cancer, and despite their relationship, Westwood attended his funeral.

Who was Vivienne Westwood’s first husband Derek Westwood?

Westwood married her first husband Derek Westwood in 1962, who was a Hoover factory worker. Her son, Benjamin, an erotic photographer, was born a year after their marriage. It was with his surname of Westwood that she found fame, bringing punk to high fashion runways. In 2012, The Evening Standard revealed that Derek was a retired commercial airline pilot who lived in Leicestershire.

The couple met at a dance in 1961 after Vivienne and her family moved to Harrow from Derbyshire. Dame Vivienne married Derek in 1962, wearing a wedding dress that she designed and made. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1965. The end of her marriage came when she met Malcolm Edwards, the man who was to change his name to McLaren.