Ok, so maybe Sun blogs isn't the most likely place to write about this - but here goes.
 
Isabella Blow died last Monday. 48 (same age as me - urp ). Aristocratic & outrageous.   She had ovarian cancer, but died by her own hand - swallowed the herbicide Paraquat   (she suffered from depression and she took her own life by poisoning herself - just as her grandfather and father-in-law had before her.)

She was British, avant-garde, eccentric, a fashion icon and Muse (yes, with a capital M). She had an uncanny ability to spot a trend, discover supermodels and unearth new designers. She "discovered" Phillip Treacy (hat designer), Alexander McQueen (designer), Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl (both models and Sophie is herself related to Roald Dahl; author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory among others) .

She was kind of - well - plain? homely? Or perhaps more kindly - "non-traditional".  Her looks certainly would not "sell" in our US of A - where we value silicone implants/botox/size 00s & blondes.   Not that she cared. And good on her for that. 
She really was very British in her looks & her eccentricity and she fascinated me for it. 

She was known for her totally outrageous outfits, especially hats and her screaming bright red lipstick. 

Her hats were outrageous: hats shaped like lobsters  flying saucers etc. This was not a woman who wanted to be ignored - she wanted to be seen, to be the center of attention - no matter what.  She once went to dinner in a hat that was basically a set of antlers with a veil. When asked how she would manage to eat while wearing it, her response was "That is of absolutely no concern to me".

Notoriety ran in the family: her grandfather - Sir "Jock" Delves Broughton,  was tried and acquitted for the murder of the 22nd Earl of Errol in Kenya in 1941. A book and movie (White Mischief) were made based on the tale.  He later returned to Britain and committed suicide. 

She was reported to have been very depressed following recent surgery for ovarian cancer. Pity she couldn't have found another way.