In Memoriam: Isabella Blow

[labricoleuse]

Fashion stylist Isabella Blow passed away this past week, and i'd like to mention a bit about her.

Ms. Blow is directly responsible for the career of a man who some say is the greatest living milliner, Philip Treacy, as well as fashion icon Alexander McQueen.

You cannot really be familiar with the hatwork of Treacy without knowing the face of Isabella Blow, whom Treacy considered his muse and to whom he paid tribute in the art book When Philip Met Isabella;, the publication of which was accompanied by a traveling museum exhibit of not only many of Treacy's most famous hats but also the hat blocks on which he created them (link features tons of hat and hatblock images).

Blow was buried in a willow coffin wearing one of her favorite hats, and during the service Treacy's iconic hat, The Ship, graced the top of the casket amidst a blanket of white flowers. Around 350 people attended the services at Gloucester Cathedral, and the eulogy was delivered by Rupert Everett. Ms. Blow had been suffering from advanced ovarian cancer, though it is generally believed that she took her own life. She was 48.


http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_03/isabellablow0805_468x604.jpg



What does an artist do when his muse has died?

Comments

[dethany.livejournal.com]

I'm so sad about this - it happened while I was traveling in London and Paris and I didn't get to write about it.

I met Mr. Treacy at the Cranbrook exhibition (and thanks for linking my site and pictures ;) and he was the most wonderful and full of life human being... Mike and I were there at the same time and he asked us if we were in a band...haha I had such a fangirl moment.

I can't imagine the loss he is experiencing...the death of your muse? Yikes.

DO pick up the print catalog if you get a chance, it is a little hard to come by but I know you can order it from the Cranbrook Art Museum bookstore, it is quite good. 248-645-3325 - you can only order by phone, but they'll ship it to you.

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

How much is the show catalogue? I'm definitely getting one. How wonderful that you had a chance to meet Mr. Treacy. He's one of my role models.

[dethany.livejournal.com]

I'm at my office and I don't have it in front of me - it is small put packed full of goodness.

I think it is about ~$20, I just called over and no one is answering - the museum is closed until June 17th while between exhibitions, but the store may still be (sometimes) open - let me check.

The store's email is hashare@cranbrook.edu - Heather is the manager and she should get back to you even if it is closed up.

Here's an (out of stock) link:
http://www.assoulineusa.com/philiptreacy.html

I know the museum has it though. :)

[lordofhaladin.livejournal.com]

thats so sad.

[girfan.livejournal.com]

It was big news here-she was quite an influence.

The last I heard, they think she committed suicide by drinking weedkiller. Such a shame. :(

[labricoleuse.livejournal.com]

Shame that she's gone, but if (as her husband says) she was riddled with untreatable cancer, I don't blame her for killing herself instead of facing that sort of inevitable death. It's not an easy one. I mightn't have chosen weed killer, were it me, but i guess it does the job. :(

[thepinkhobbit.livejournal.com]

Her grandfather drank weedkiller when he commited suicide. I'm assuming that is why she picked that.

[maggieb.livejournal.com]

OH! i am shocked! I grew up with pictures of her in Vogue wearing audacious creations and proudly loving every minute.

Thank you for sharing this. I"m not as up on fashion news these days.

[unluckymonkey.livejournal.com]

wow. those hat blocks are sooo amazing! Thanks for the link it's terribly inspiring.

[thepinkhobbit.livejournal.com]

I was so shocked when I heard. I'd been planning on sending an invite to her for my final exhibition this year with Uni, just on the off chance she'd turn up. Which would of been absolutly amazing. She was a facinating woman.

[missjanette.livejournal.com]

oh no, isabella!

I had no idea she was even sick. that's awful.

:/

i enjoy a woman who has outrageous headwear. bah.