She was one of fashion’s most influential eccentrics and
sculpted the careers of some of the industry’s greatest names. Over the last
few months, Somerset House has tastefully paid tribute to the late Isabella Blow
in an exquisite exhibit.
Wandering through the heart of this iconic location, the
journey begins with Isabella Delves Broughton, as she was christened, and her family
heritage. Continuing onwards, you were surrounded by the masterpieces of
Alexander McQueen’s CSM graduate collection, which Isabella famously purchased
in its entirety and paid for in weekly £100 instalments. Further forward we
encounter the mysterious millinery sculptures of Phillip Treacy, amongst the
hundreds of pieces from her private collection as well as a selection of Blow’s
personals including a selection of her mismatched shoes and her favourite shade
of lipstick. Beautifully curated installations depicted each outfit in Blow’s
own eclectic style.
Having worked under Anna Wintour at US Vogue, Tatler,
British Vogue and Sunday Time Style, Isabella Blow had a magical career
spanning over 30 years until her tragic death in 2007 by, as the exhibit put
it, her own hand. A showcase of her eclectic apparel collection, now owned by
Daphne Guinness, is delicately infused with insightful snippets and anecdotes
of her history and personality, from growing up through to her prestigious
positions.
Guinness said: “This exhibition is a bittersweet event.
Isabella Blow made our world more vivid, trailing colour with every pace she
took. It is a sorrier place for her absence. When I visited her beloved clothes
in a storage room in South Kensington, it seemed quite clear the collection
would be of immense value to a great many people.”
The sombre highlight of this retrospective was the projection
of the SS08 runway show, entitled La Dame
Bleue, from Isabella Blow’s protégés Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy in
honour of her passing.
I’ve watched shows which excite the senses and conjure an
explosion of inspiration yet never one which has triggered such overwhelming sadness.
Knowing that the feather adorned creatures which made their way down the
runway, to a powerful disco beat infused with sound bites of Blow’s dulcet
tones, were all wearing beautiful creations tinged with a consuming grief. Every
piece was entirely Isabella.
As the finale piece made its way to the end of the catwalk
the lighting changed, the music stopped and the deep beat of flapping bird
wings pummelled through the room. The
striking headdress of white birds took flight back down the catwalk and through
the darkened doorway at the end, as if to symbolise the spirit and soul of this
incredibly influential woman taking its final flight.
A muse, visionary and creative to the very core, Isabella
Blow: Fashion Galore! was a tactile and apt tribute to the legacy of one of
fashion’s greatest influencers. It was an honour to receive that insight in to
a mere microcosm of her existence.
"Fashion is a vampiric thing, it's the
hoover on your brain. That's why I wear the hats, to keep everyone away from
me” – Isabella Blow
