British fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, dubbed "the godmother of punk," has died. She was 81 years old.

Her eponymous fashion house announced her death on social media on Thursday. It said she died "peacefully and surrounded by her family" in South London.

The BBC and other media say Westwood was born in Derbyshire, England in 1941. She opened a rock-themed clothing shop in London in the early 1970s.

She rose to prominence for her clothing designs for British punk rock band the Sex Pistols. She was admired enormously by young musicians as "the godmother of punk."

In 2006, Westwood was awarded the title of Dame, a rank equivalent to the male rank of knight, for her services to fashion by the British Royal Family.

In her later years, she was also known for her active involvement in environmental protection.

Britain's Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan described Westwood as a "towering figure in British fashion" on her Twitter account.

She said, "Her punk style rewrote the rule book in the 1970s, and was widely admired for how she stayed true to her own values throughout her life."