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Many of the reports of Alexander McQueen's death referenced McQueen's close friend and mentor, stylist Isabella Blow, who also died by suicide almost three years ago.
Blow, born Isabella Delves Broughton, was credited with discovering McQueen during the showing of his graduation collection at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, which she bought for 5,000 pounds. She was also credited with discovering models Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl and serving as muse to hat designer Philip Treacy.
Before becoming a stylist, Blow attended secretarial college in London, sold scones, and worked as a cleaner in London. She moved in to New York in 1979 to study ancient Chinese art at Columbia, and in the early 80s she briefly worked as Anna Wintour's assistant at Vogue before becoming Andre Leon Talley's assistant.
She moved back to London in 1986 and became the fashion director for Tatler and Sunday Times Style magazine. Blow was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and made multiple suicide attempts. After she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she went away with friends for a weekend. On May 6, 2007 she announced that she was going shopping, but was instead later discovered by her sister on a bathroom floor. Blow, who was still alive, told a doctor that she had drunk Paraquat, a weedkiller. She died at age 48 the following day.
In 2002 Blow told The Observer that the reason she wore her tradmark hats was "...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. I want to be kissed by the people I love."
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