Dame Viv Scoops Almost One In Every Four Votes

DAME Vivienne Westwood has been voted the Greatest British Fashion Designer in a national study to celebrate 250 years of Great British Spirit.

Dame Viv, famous for giving edgy punk styling mass market appeal, polled almost a quarter of the entire national vote (24%) to win the title, easily beating nearest rival Alexander McQueen.

McQueen, whose tragic and untimely death shocked he fashion world in 2010, polled a creditable 10% of the national vote.

Third place went to Paul Smith who won 6% of the final vote. While Jasper Conran (5%) and Stella McCartney (4%) won fourth and fifth place respectively.

The study, commissioned to celebrate 250 years of Greenall’s Great British Spirit, also highlighted the greatest British sportsman, band, prime minister, songwriter, adventurer, writer, composer, comedian and fashion designer in order to build an accurate picture of the people who have left the biggest impression on British history.

It also highlighted WWII Prime Minister Churchill as the Greatest Brit of all time and was broken down into three time periods: 1761–1863, 1864-1964 and 1964-2011.

Three-thousand adults were then asked to vote for the Greatest Brit of each time period in each of the categories with a final option to vote for the Greatest Brit spanning all three periods.

Greenall’s spokeswoman Christina Brown said: “Fashion Design is a hugely personal thing. Everyone has a favourite. But certain designers have appeal across all ages, generations and style periods. Vivienne Westwood is one of that ultra rare breed whose eye for a look is unrivalled and appeals to everyone.

“Her work is iconic and you can feel the Britishness in every stitch. Also, like all truly great fashionistas, she is very much a one-off – totally unique and often copied.”