British designer Vivienne Westwood, whose punk and new wave-inspired garments made her a fashion icon, has died. She was 81. Westwood's eponymous fashion house announced her death on social media platforms, saying she died peacefully surrounded by family. A cause of death was not disclosed. "The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better," the fashion house wrote on Twitter. Westwood’s fashion career began in the 1970s with the punk explosion, when her radical approach to urban street style took the world by storm. But she went on to enjoy a long career highlighted by a string of triumphant runway shows in London, Paris, Milan and New York. The name Westwood became synonymous with style and attitude even as she shifted focus from year to year. Her range was vast and her work was never predictable. Visit the link in @usatoday’s bio to learn more about her life.