Westwood always allows her clothes speak for themselves, and as her own statements of culture throughout her career as a designer. Often her designs were so wild, she was often ridiculed but it never phased or affected her designs.
In 1984 she famously showed a collection featuring the label “Clint Eastwood”.
She dubbed 1981-85 the “New Romantic” and “The Pagan Years” during which her looks morphed from punk to ragamuffins to ‘Tatler’ girls wearing clothes that poked fun of the upper class”.
In the mid 85’s she designed mini length, puffy silhouette, puffball skirts.
In 2007, Westwood was asked to design a gown for the Academic institution by Patricia Rawlings and Baroness Rawlings, and she did. She commented “Through my reworking of the traditional robe I tried to link the past, the present and the future.”
Westwood received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 2008, and was made a Doctor of Letters at the campus in Galashiels for her contribution to the industry and use of Scottish textiles which is reflected in her many choices to use plaid prints and fabrics.