Vivienne Westwood passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, in London on Thursday. Westwood made a name for herself in the 1970s with her controversial punk and new wave styles, dressing some of the biggest celebreties in fashion.

The style icon had continued to do the things she loved, including designing, working on her book and making art, “up until the last moment,” said her family on Instagram. Her husband and creative partner, Andreas Kronthaler, said: “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.”

Westwood is considered a pioneer of punk in the fashion industry. She ran a boutique on London’s King’s Road with Malcolm McLaren, manager of the punk band Sex Pistols. She successfully built a global fashion brand that now has stores in Britain, France, Italy, America and Asia. Shrill and edgy outfits were her trademark.

The fashion designer was also known as an environmental activist, bringing climate change to the catwalk. Between 1989 and 2005, she taught at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and the UDK Berlin. Westwood is survived by two sons, photographer Ben Westwood and Joseph Corré, founder of lingerie company Agent Provocateur.