Isabella

Extremely sad news that Isabella Blow has died. All too easily dismissed as a 'true original' and a 'real British eccentric' (bywords for 'slightly batty' and 'upper class old gel who's easy to patronise'), she was - and represented - much more than that.

A rich wit, she was a genuine lover of beauty and independence in a fashion world now overrun by the cynical corporate money boys who are more interested in relieving us of our tenners for crude logo covered make-up compacts than they are in art, in couture. Blow made no apology for the aspirational, otherworldly element that was couture. It was way beyond the rest of us mere mortals, maybe. But that was the point.

Blow discovered the unique Stella Tennant and the (initally) unconvential Sophie Dahl. She supported her close friend and milliner par excellence Philip Treacy in his career and launched Alexander McQueen - both did fine credit to her exemplar of individuality and elegance. She was many things to many people: muse, mentor, stylist, editor, assistant (first to the redoutable Nuclear Wintour) and an often ribald commentator.

There still appears to be some confusion over whether she has lost her ongoing battle against ovarian cancer or whether her long-time struggle against the Black Dog (Blow had survived several suicide attempts over the years) had, finally, become too painful to endure any longer.

But, below, a picture which sums up everything that was glorious about her in a Treacy hat. We shall not see her like again.

Magnificat