1) There is no compromise about her. She is very much declaring with her style ‘Here it is, you can like it or lump it.’
2) There is nothing random about her dress sense. It’s a controlled madness, a whimsy that’s not ingulged to the extreme.
3) Amid the crazy ensembles, lies a classic formula of a slick of fresh lipstick and a hat. There’s something quintessentially old-fashioned about that and I love how in her own fantastic way, she sticks to this formula.
4) She discovered Alexander McQueen…. good god, what the fashion industry owes her is priceless.
5) She describes herself as a pig sniffing out truffles when detecting fashion talent. Said truffles include models like Stella Tennant and Sophia Dahl, designers like Hussein Chalayan and photographers like Jurgen Teller.
6) She used to arrive much later at fashion shows than anyone else because she changed into a different outfit inbetween shows. That’s an example of a perfect fashion spectacle in all it’s decadence.
7) Her relationship with hats is a true love affair – ‘You can’t be lonely in a hat’ she says. It protects her from fashion vampires; ‘That’s why I wear the hats, to keep everyone away from me. They say "Oh can I kiss you?" I say, ‘"No, thank you very much. That’s why I’ve worn the hat. Goodbye." I don’t want to be kissed by all and sundry.’
8) Unlike her steely ex-boss Anna Wintour (for whom Isabella worked for at American Vogue in the early 80’s), you can sense a vulnerability about Isabella, underneath the hats, the sharply cut attire and the bolshy speech.
9) Popular culture seems to seek out Isabella as she appeared in Wes Andersons’ Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou in a cameo role (wearing a fabulous hat of course!).
10) Quite simply, and it saddens me to say this, there just aren’t that many risk takers in the fashion industry. People are constantly following other people. True, original, risk-takers are hard to come by and the picture below of Anna Piaggi and Isabella illustrates just what I mean.
Yey, thank you so much Susie! Isabella Blow, Anna Piagi and maybe Diane Pernet are the only ones who epitomize the spirit of fashion!
I just loved your “love statment” about her!!! And the fact that she was the one who “found” Sophie Dahl (whom I deeply love!) gives her unlimited credit!!!! And I super agree when you say that there’s not many risk-takers in fashion….. Loved everything, can I link it im my blog????
Oh yes! I adore Isabella too, and like you wish there were more as original and unique as her for us to live up to!!!
Only natural that she is friends with Miss Piaggi.
She may be original and I appreciate that and her love of hats, natch, but there is something about her that puts me off. There is a pretension there that I don’t like, and it really comes through in Tatler, which to me is a terrible magazine. I know I’m going to be in the minority here, but I’m sure susie appreciates both the good and the bad.
Meg, I agree, Tatler is a terrible magazine. I suppose I appreciate her more as a style original and maven rather than as a fashion professional.
I am curious (and not being snarky at all), for those of us who are not working in fashion and living a life that allows such fashion risks — when does risk become ridiculous? Where is the line between fashion and costume?
One thing that a fashion risk-taker must possess is a great sense of self, and that is a gift that takes time to develop.
your blog is f**king amazing man! sorry i just gott randomly trapped into it. but would you mind if i want to cut/paste the one about Abi harding onto my own blog? i will feel guity to do so before i gott your permit. cheers, anyway keep up the wonderful blogging mate you are doing just wonderful!
What sad news today that Isabella Blow has passed away. I was looking for photos of her and found your site, thanks for sharing the pix and your thoughts.