We look back at the famed fashion star's sartorial highlights on what would have been her 60th birthday.
By Amanda Brohman
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It takes a special set of skills to be both a muse and a creator like Isabella Blow. The famed style star can be credited with discovering a slew of contemporary fashion's most pertinent talent, from Alexander McQueen to models Sophie Dahl and Stella Tennant. In addition to leaving an indelible mark as a stylist, Blow was also style icon in her own right. Here, CR looks back at some of the Blow's best looks, on what would have been her 60th birthday.
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1
On the street by Bill Cunningham
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In the mid '90s, Blow was captured by Bill Cunningham in between shows during New York Fashion Week dressed in a spectrum of bright colours.
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2
Dunhill Queens Cup Polo Match
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Blow became longtime friend and muse of British haute couture milliner Philip Treacy, and was almost never spotted without donning one of his intricate headpieces. Here, she wears one in purple-and-red, giving a pop of colour to an otherwise all-black ensemble.
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3
British Fashion Awards
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In 1999, Blow brought Treacy with her as a date to attend the British Fashion Awards at the Natural History Museum in London. She wore a black velvet coat featuring floral embroidery from Alexander McQueen's haute couture collection for Givenchy.
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4
Sam Taylor-Wood Exhibition
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Blow dressed in a silver turtleneck dress, and a supersaturated pink Treacy headpiece to attend the opening of artist Sam Taylor-Wood's exhibition in 2001.
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5
Boudicca Spring/Summer 2004 Show
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Blow was pictured front row next to supermodel Claudia Schiffer at Boudicca's Spring/Summer 2004 show during London Fashion Week in '03. Staying true to her signature style, she wore a lace shirt dress and a layered black headpiece.
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6
Swarovski Fashion Show
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Blow opted for a crystal embellished, spiral headpiece to attend the Swarovski Fashion show in 2003.
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7
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To attend the Diane von Furstenberg's shop launch in 2003, Blow dressed in a structured black skirt suit accessorised with black kitten heel sandals and a black circular hat.
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8
Louis Vuitton Garden Party
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Blow wore layers of semi-transparent tulle, and a silver headpiece, to attend a Louis Vuitton party in Paris in 2004.
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9
Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2004 Show
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Blow sits front row at friend's Alexander McQueen's Fall/Winter 2004 show. She was dressed in a McQueen salmon pink coat featuring a white fur lining.
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10
Annual Krug Rose Celebration VIP Party
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Blow took a cue from the '20s when attending the annual Krug Rose Celebration in London in 2005. In addition to her extravagant Treacy headpiece, her dress featured intricate beading and a walnut brown leather skirt.
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11
Book Launch Party for Richard Mason
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Blow often brought her pug Alfie with her to everything from dinners to fashion shows. Here she is pictured cuddling with the pup at a Richard Mason book launch in 2005–dressed in a sleeveless ruffled gown.
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12
Frost Fall/Winter 2005 Show
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Blow stay bundled up in a black-and-white printed shirt dress layered with a floral embroidered Alexander McQueen coat to sit front at Frost's Fall/Winter 2005 show during London Fashion Week in 2005.
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13
The Little Black Book Launch Party
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Blow could have easily been mistaken for a haute couture version of the White Witch of Narnia when attending the Little Black Book launch party in 2005.
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14
Private Viewing of Anselm Kiefer's Exhibition "Aperiatur Terra"
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Blow wore a black netted silk hat and a gold embroidered velvet coat to attend a private viewing of the exhibition "Aperiatur Terra" by artist Anselm Kiefer in London in 2007.