The Vivienne's clever way of creating name and moving connection to Vivienne Westwood

James Lee Williams previously revealed the clever way he came up with his drag name, The Vivienne and his connection to the legendary fashion designer

The Vivienne had a moving reason behind creating their drag name.

The RuPaul's Drag Race UK legend tragically died aged just 32 over the weekend, with their close friend and publicist Simon Jones confirming the news. The star, whose real name was James Lee Williams found fame back in 2015 as the UK Drag Ambassador for the American series of Ru Paul's Drag Race. They went on to compete and win the UK series in 2019 before later competing in the seventh series, which was the All-Stars series in 2022.

But after becoming a hit, many were left puzzled by their name. Speaking previously, The Vivienne revealed their touching tribute to the late fashion designer Vivienne Westwood who died aged 81 back in December 2022. And it appears it had a lot to do with James' choice of clothing.

"I love Vivienne Westwood," The Vivienne said. They went on to say at a previous ITM: "When I moved to Liverpool everyone used to call me Vivienne, as I was head to toe in Westwood. So when I started doing drag it was a natural progression, but I didn’t want one of those cheap, nasty, slutty drag names so I thought of 'The Vivienne' and here she is, there's only one of them."

Fashion designer Vivienne, was a trailblazer like the drag star. Over the course of her life and career, she was known for pushing the boundaries and being vocal about causes close to her heart. In the final years of Westwood's life, she dedicated her time to supporting the release of Julian Assange as well as being vocal about her eco-activism.

Meanwhile, Drag Race and Dancing On Ice's The Vivienne was often using her platform to raise awareness of charities, including Liverpool's Sahir House, which provides a safe space for those to speak freely without stigma, abuse, or exploitation related to HIV. Just three weeks ago, the late star was seen supporting the charity at an event as she impersonated Donald Trump once again.

On Sunday night, fans and celebrity friends were left devastated when the news of The Vivienne's death was announced. A spokesperson for the RuPaul's Drag Race UK star took to social media on Sunday night to confirm the shattering news. In a statement, they said: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams - The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.

"James was an incredibly loved, warm- hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James's family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve."

Fiona Campbell, BBC controller of youth audience, said: "We are currently processing the deeply sad news of the passing of James Lee Williams, known to many as The Vivienne. We are fiercely proud of The Vivienne’s achievements, including winning the first ever series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. Right now our thoughts are with their family and friends, the Drag Race sisterhood and their many fans."

The official RuPaul's account also paid tribute, writing: "Her talent, humour, and dedication to the art of drag was an inspiration. She will be dearly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity – she embodied what it means to be a true champion. Our hearts go out to her family and fans during this difficult time."

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