Comments on: Friday Fierceness: Isabella Blow

By: raincoaster

raincoaster — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:47:11 +0000

I actually have the edition of Tatler with her wedding pix in it. She was awesome, and I loved McQueen until he proved himself a cad/strongerword by dumping the woman who’d made him a star and who’d never lost faith in him.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:32:22 +0000

and yes, striking is the mot juste.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:30:00 +0000

On yet another note, I’m thinking I would kill for that dress she is wearing in the photo after the lobster (which is where I personally would have drawn the line, which is why I am nobody’s muse. Sad, that.) Anybody know anything about that dress? I probably couldn’t actually wear it due to both size and coloring, but dang I’m loving on that thing.

By: La BellaDonna

La BellaDonna — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:12:03 +0000

Yeah, I note that Detmar Blow didn’t mention his LEAVING HER as perhaps factoring into Why Izzy Was Depressed, or Why Izzy Wouldn’t Take Me Back.

By: klee

klee — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:20:02 +0000

Brava, Plumcake! A wonderful dedication to a unique and fabulous personage.

By: Plumcake

Plumcake — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:05:09 +0000

Isn’t that a beautiful tribute? So tender.

By: Margo

Margo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:58:50 +0000

Thank you for featuring Isabella, I cried all over Rachel Cooke’s obituary/interview with Detmar in the days after her death. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2007/may/13/fashion.features10

I have a hate/hate relationship with high fashion mags, but Blow was such a multicoloured hurricane, I admired her. She even made a Trivial Pursuit question for the lobster hat – true infamy. My mum & I went to see the ‘When Philip Met Isabella’ exhibition twice when it toured NZ, just after her death, and it was a joy and privilege to see that work up close.

By: Plumcake

Plumcake — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:55:08 +0000

See I think Blow was like Bette Davis, more striking than pretty. Pretty is overrated. Striking lasts. Also, please provide me with your home address as I have plans to snatch that turban off your head.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:40:47 +0000

The reference to Waugh here makes perfect sense in Blow’s context; my mother was one of those people who cleaned for a living and I don’t actually mind most class references as long as there isn’t sugar-coating. Personal preference. Fashion and elitism are bedfellows, and it’s hard to pull them apart in any meaningful ways. Blow came from old money and that money didn’t treat her all that well, nor did the tradition she married into, which in some respects embodies for me the tension between tradition and innovation on the fashion stage.

I disagree a bit with the characterization of Blow as not a pretty girl, per se. I get what you mean, but I found her quite pretty. Not classically, but that mouth was incredible. A set of lips to die for, and something special in her eyes, which were large. I think you need a good mouth to carry off most hats, actually.

I put on a leopard print turban and Dior’s “pink lust” lipstick in Blow’s honor.

By: Alexandra

Alexandra — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:29:03 +0000

Plumcake, you are the ultimate in fab for posting this – Isabella Blow is totally my fashion muse.