I wanted to dedicate this post to the late Isabella Blow – style icon, magazine editor, and muse of hat designer Philip Treacy. I became very fascinated by her after having read about the role she played in discovering one of my favorite fashion designers, the late Alexander McQueen – unfortunately this was already years after her death.McQueen and Blow, photo by David LaChapelle

 Throughout the early years of Isabella’s career, taking place in New York City after having graduated from Columbia University, Isabella had worked as an assistant at separate times for both Anna Wintour and Andre Leon Talley, the two masterminds behind Vogue magazine.Photo from Thames & Hudson

 To give you some perspective, I really don’t have many friends as interested in the world of fashion as I am…So the name Isabella Blow might not be ringing any bells for those I’m close to. My love of fashion doesn’t come from collecting designer labels, but in learning about the brands, the stories behind them, and why it is that our society has considered them influential. For those of you unfamiliar with Ms. Blow, well, she came before Gaga. And as much as I love Lady Gaga and am always wondering what she’s gonna come out wearing next, I consider her to be the mainstream version of Isabella Blow, capturing the attention of fans who weren’t particularly interested in fashion, but just wanted to see something crazy. Blow discovered and inspired very unconventional pieces, which she accompanied with her dark interior.

Photo by Donald McPherson

The icon ended her own life in 2007. Her coffin was mounted with a Philip Treacy headpiece.