Discover the roots of fashion icon Vivienne Westwood with new Glossop walking tour

The event, called “Too Inspired to be Tired,” is being curated and led by culture expert Martha Camarillo as part of Glossop Creates, an arts organisation aiming to make places as interesting, eclectic, and accessible as possible through arts and culture.

The walking tour will take place on Saturday, May 13th, starting at 3 pm at Deggy’s mural on Chapel Street.

It will explore Vivienne Westwood’s early years, family, influences, and inspirations, delving into what inspired a girl from a small town to become an international icon and one of the most influential British designers in fashion history.

The “catwalk” along Glossop’s High Street will showcase the town’s rugged landscape of the High Peak, especially around Westwood’s home village of Tintwistle.

Participants are encouraged to dress for the occasion and step into Vivienne’s shoes by wearing their most eccentric, bold, and rebellious outfits.

The event will end at Victoria Hall, where participants are invited to take part in a catwalk to show off their Vivienne-inspired outfits, with prizes for the best-dressed.

Vivienne Westwood was born in Glossop in 1941 and attended school there. She always spoke highly of her early years and the rugged landscape of the High Peak.

Although Glossop is situated at the gateway to the Peak District National Park, it is only 30 minutes from Manchester Piccadilly by direct train, and the town now boasts a number of eateries, vegan delis, and bars, making it an excellent place to visit from the city.

Claire Tymon, who heads up Glossop Creates, said, “Vivienne was a radical and an activist who used her talent as a fashion designer to make statements about what was important to her and the world.

“Our wander will encourage you as participants to explore what is important to you and how you can use your talent to create the change you want to see. Small town doesn’t mean small ambition.”

The walk curator, Martha Camarillo, said, “Vivienne Westwood’s persona has always intrigued me. She had the ability to transform herself and others. It’s all about her; a life filled with intensity and stimulating stories, a woman who always saw beyond what the eye sees. Someone who always wanted to find the heart of the matter and channelled her actions and ideas to the next level with her characteristic passion and her strong, sharp temperament.”

Glossop also boasts a street mural of Vivienne Westwood painted by local artist Deggy in the summer of 2022.

You can book your place on the tour by clicking here.

The walk lasts for 1.5 hours and promises to be a celebration of Vivienne Westwood’s legacy and influence on fashion and culture.