Fashion world pays respects to Isabella Blow

Fashion world turns out for memorial service to Isabella Blow

The luminaries the fashion world turned out yesterday to pay tribute to Isabella Blow, the eccentric and influential fashion editor who discovered the talents of Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy and Sophie Dahl, among others.

Nearly 1,000 people packed into the historic Guards Chapel near Buckingham Palace for the memorial service, organised by friends of "Issy" who felt London Fashion Week should not go by without some acknowledgement.

Blow died in May after telling doctors she had drunk weedkiller, and a funeral was held in London, where her coffin was topped with a black Treacy hat shaped like a ship.

At yesterday's service, tributes were paid by her many famous friends from the worlds of fashion, art and entertainment. Bryan Ferry opened the service with a rendition of When She Walks in the Room and Anna Wintour, editor of US Vogue and Blow's first employer, read the first address.

The Duchess of York and her eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, also attended, along with Joan Collins, Zandra Rhodes, Naomi Campbell, Erin O'Connor, Lily Cole, Alexandra Shulman and Jasper Conran.