VIVIENNE Westwood has donated a bench after using designers’ artwork without their permission.

The controversial fashion figure apologised to the two designers at Rottingdean Bazaar after using their graphics during a show at Paris Fashion Week in March.

Afterwards Mrs Westwood published an apology online saying: “We are sorry. The use of your graphics on our T-shirt was only ever meant to be a celebration of your work. We got caught up in a last-minute frenzy and did not contact you to ask for your permission. We are truly sorry about this mistake and want to make it up to you.”

Rottingdean Bazaar’s designers James Theseus Buck and Luke Brooks suggested that she donate a park bench.

To their surprise, Mrs Westwood and the parish council supported the idea.

Now the bench stands proudly in Golden Square with an engraved plaque to celebrate the artwork.

Mr Brooks said: “We merely suggested the bench as an idea to make something fun and creative out of this, and we were quite taken aback that everyone was really up for it.

“We really didn’t expect this idea to follow through.”

Mr Brooks, who has been running the fashion business in Rottingdean with James for three years, said: “The bench not only celebrates our joint idea with Vivienne Westwood and her husband Andreas Kronthaler, but also our work with the community.

“And it’s somewhere for people to sit and enjoy some peace and quiet.”

He added: “It is also a statement to show there are no hard feelings and that we have turned what was originally an apology into a communal piece of artwork.”

The pair have previously made creative masks with a children’s art club, and have also dressed a local Zumba class in their handmade designer outfits.