From left: Marina Yee, Ward Landrigan, Martin Parr, Soo Catwoman, and Christoph von Weyhe.
In loss, there are learnings. This list provides a few. One is that fashion’s reach is extremely broad, radiating from runways to boardrooms, recording studios to beaches. Clothes are just one part of a giant wheel that is turned by many hands. For some of those in this story, like Diane Keaton and David Lynch, fashion—or style—was a “second fame” attached to their main occupation. Then there is the lesson of resilience. The polished surfaces that fashion (and the Internet) present, often hide struggles and tragedies that took a lifetime to overcome.
Martin Parr at his “Only Human” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, 2019.
Photo: Tolga Akmen / Getty Images
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From left: Marina Yee, Ward Landrigan, Martin Parr, Soo Catwoman, and Christoph von Weyhe.
In loss, there are learnings. This list provides a few. One is that fashion’s reach is extremely broad, radiating from runways to boardrooms, recording studios to beaches. Clothes are just one part of a giant wheel that is turned by many hands. For some of those in this story, like Diane Keaton and David Lynch, fashion—or style—was a “second fame” attached to their main occupation. Then there is the lesson of resilience. The polished surfaces that fashion (and the Internet) present, often hide struggles and tragedies that took a lifetime to overcome.
Martin Parr at his “Only Human” exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London, 2019.
Photo: Tolga Akmen / Getty Images
Martin Parr, Subversive and Entertaining Documentary Photographer
Martin Parr, born in Surrey in 1952, had already decided on his career at 14. After studying at Manchester Polytechnic he established himself as a documentary photographer who captured the effects of politics on the populace—in brilliant color from the 1980s. Intrepid and unrepentant in his work, Parr didn’t pursue beauty but truth presented entertainingly, and sometimes with a bite. He was president of Magnum Photos from 2014 to 2017 and in recent years was increasingly engaged with fashion, working with brands including Gucci (under Alessandro Michele), Louis Vuitton, and Jacquemus.
Pam Hogg, 2008.
Photo: Dave M. Benett / Getty Images
Siouxsie Sioux and Pam Hogg, both in Pam Hogg designs, 2007.
Photo: Dave M. Benett / Getty Images
Pam Hogg, Multihyphenate Scottish Provocateur Who Was Allergic to Things “Normal”
Pamm Hogg once described herself as a “Fashion designer/musician/filmmaker/mischief maker/Doctor of letters n broken hearts.” Born in Scotland she made her way to London, arriving there during the New Romantic era, where she soon made her name in the clubs, and from 1981, on the runway. On the catwalk she became known for her hand-sewn latex pieces, studded looks, and political statements. She abandoned fashion for music for a while, but returned, ever faithful to a New Wave palette and punk spirit. “If you had to define a British design sensibility, it would be Pam Hogg,” said Stephen Jones. “Against all the odds she remained true to herself and her individuality since her very first collection. It was never fashion for her; it was her way of life and her raison d’être! And I have to add, because nobody else will, that she was a great dancer—especially in spandex.”
Paul Costelloe, Irish Designer Who Dressed Princess Diana
The Dublin-born son of a raincoat manufacturer, Paul Costello graduated from his studies in Ireland to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris. He worked briefly for Jacques Esterel before pursuing career opportunities in Milan and New York, where he did a short stint with Anne Fogarty. A few years after returning to Ireland, he launched his own line, in 1979, often using local fabrics. In 1983 he was tapped to be personal designer to Princess Diana. A regular on the London Fashion Week calendar since 1984, Costelloe grew his empire through licensing. To accommodate this expansion, the designer’s wife and a number of his seven children are involved with the business. In one of his last interviews Costelloe revealed his one-time wish, “to be the Irish Ralph Lauren.”
Ward Landrigan, Preserved the Work of Heritage of Jewelers Fulco di Verdura and Suzanne Belperron
Who could have imagined that a childhood internship with a local New Jersey jeweler—arranged by the Boy Scouts—would lead Ward Landrigan to Sotheby’s, Elizabeth Taylor, and beyond? A student of art history, Landrigan had been hired by Parke-Bernet/Sotheby’s when the unexpected death of a colleague propelled his career forward; at the age of 24 he became head of the auction house’s jewelry department in the US and was responsible for selling world-famous jewels. Eight years later, in 1973, Landrigan started an estate jewelry business; over the years he became especially interested in the work of Fulco di Verdura (whose cuffs Coco Chanel favored) and Suzanne Belperron, and acquired the companies in 1984 and 1999, respectively. In this way he became both a guardian and iterator on two important artistic legacies. A true gentleman, Landrigan, also preserved the art of chivalry.
Marine Yee in Brussels, 2003.
Photo: BELGA / AFP via Getty Images
Marina Yee, Reclusive and Hugely Influential Member of the Antwerp Six
She might have been the most elusive of the Antwerp Six, but there’s no denying Marina Yee’s influence on fashion. Her own fashion work was centered on function and deconstruction, often of traditional men’s garments. A woman of depth, Yee struggled with her positioning vis-a-vis art and fashion. She stepped away from design around 1989, moved to Belgium, ran a cafe, took up teaching, created costumes for theater, and worked for others. In 2018 she was approached by Tokyo boutique Laila to make some garments for sale. Three years later she started working again under the label M.Y. Collection.
Björn Andrésen as Tadzio in Death in Venice, 1970.
Photo: David Bailey, Vogue, December 1, 1970
Björn Andrésen in 2021.
Photo: Juan Naharro Gimenez / Getty Images
Björn Andrésen, Plagued By His “Perfect Beauty”
The 2021 documentary, The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, tells the story of Björn Andrésen for whom fame was an albatross. This Swede was just 15 and an aspiring musician when his grandmother encouraged him to audition for Luchino Visconti’s Death in Venice. He got the part of Tadzio but was forbidden to read the script, as Kathleen Tynan reported for Vogue. “The boy…walked before the camera gracefully, unselfconsciously. Other than directing each scene and nagging him to keep his shoulders covered from the sun, Visconti did not discuss the script with Bjorn. But this slim boy with the flat slate eyes seemed to understand what it was about. Dirk Bogarde said of him: ‘Once you hold his eyes, he holds yours, fixes you like a python. It’s not like playing with a child actor, he’s a proper actor.’ ” He was also vulnerable to the many people who wanted a piece of him. After the movie he spent time in Japan—it’s been said Andrésen’s beauty inspired many an anime character—and then was paraded around Paris like a trophy. Back in Sweden he continued to act and started a family, losing his son to Infant Death Syndrome. He struggled with alcoholism and with the way he felt he had been taken advantage of and exposed to the dark side of beauty and fame. “I’ve been working hard to reach anonymity,” he once said.
Melanie Ward with Karl Lagerfeld whose namesake line she styled, 2006.
Photo: Stan Honda / Getty Images
Melanie Ward, Influential Stylist Who Defined ’90s and ’00s Aesthetic
British-born Melanie Ward was the quiet power behind many of the images—and designs—that have become emblematic of the ’90s and ’00s. That Corinne Day 1990 cover of a laughing Kate Moss? Ward styled it. Those unforgettable Helmut Lang collections that seem as relevant today as when they were first shown? Ward was part of that as well. Born in London, she studied politics and language, fashion was a side passion that grew into something more when she attended Central St. Martins. Her transformation of fashion, and ideas of taste, took hold in the late ’80s and flowered in the next decades. Pro-grunge, she developed into a minimalist (though she preferred the term modernist) who allowed for exuberance in the form of a feather or the flash of a reflective stripe. “Her work was so much about looking,” said Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. “It was this approach to styling that was about really looking, and then deciding, and nothing ever being thrown together or we’ll figure it out later. That’s why there was always something unexpected about what she did—but everything had a meaning and a reason and came from something that was close and personal to her.”
Read remembrances of Melanie Ward.
Diane Keaton, Oscar-Winning Actor and Champion of “Tomboy” Style
An actor with four Oscar nominations (and one win) needs no introduction. But Diane Keaton’s influence extended far beyond film and into fashion. With the help of Ralph Lauren, who costumed Annie Hall, and Giorgio Armani, Keaton made her tomboy style a lifelong signature. In neat tailoring and rarely without a hat, her unique look was an expression of independence.
Soo Catwoman, circa 1970.
Photo: Erica Echenberg / Redferns
Soo Catwoman, Punk Pioneer With Bride of Frankenstein–Inspired Hairstyle
Born Susan Lucas in London in 1954, Soo Catwoman, as she christened herself, was a punk pioneer, with an anti-mohawk, shaving the center of her head and spiking the sides, winged eyeliner, and a star on her cheek. Soo’s dramatic look made her a favorite subject of the rock photographer Bob Gruen; she also modeled for Vivienne Westwood; and was briefly a roommate of Sid Vicious, to whom she became “Aunt Sue.” She briefly worked as a musician and actor, and, much later, was portrayed on film and television by Faye Hart and Iris Law, respectively.
Giorgio Armani in 2000.
Photographed by Irving Penn, Vogue, October 2000
Giorgio Armani, Italian Designer Who Modernized Tailoring and Ruled the Red Carpet
Giorgio Amani started his business at 40, with the proceeds from the sale of his Volkswagen Beetle. He remained engaged and at the helm of what became an empire for 51 years. In that time, the designer—who studied to be a doctor before working at the Milan department store La Rinascente department and with Nino Cerruti—revolutionized the fashion industry. His first collection was of womenswear, but Richard Gere’s Armani-clad turn in American Gigolo, put his menswear in the spotlight. Soon Armani became the uniform for A-listers on the red carpet. In 2001 the designer had a career retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum. By 2025 you could not only wear the brand, but live and eat it at his hotels, residences, and restaurants.
Afa Ah Loo on Project Runway, 2018.
Photo: Bravo / Getty Images
Afa Ah Loo, Samoan Fashion Designer, Project Runway Contestant, and Activist
A self-taught designer born in Samoa, Afa Ah Loo’s designs were size-inclusive and celebrated the culture of Pacific Islanders. They landed him a spot on season 17 of Project Runway, but he was busy off-screen, too, helping others through sewing workshops and via his nonprofit Creative Pacific Foundation. A father to two young children, he was shot at a No Kings rally. “Losing Afa feels like losing the sun,” said his wife, Laura Ah Loo.
Leonard and Judy Lauder, 2020.
Photo: Emma McIntyre / Getty Images
Leonard Lauder, Beauty Mogul, Philanthropist, and Art Lover
Born into a beauty business cofounded by his parents, Leonard Lauder took the Estée Lauder company in directions that they could not have imagined, making it a conglomerate that’s home to many beauty brands. Simultaneously he changed the industry as a whole on macro and micro levels. “Leonard,” noted Shirley Lord, a onetime Vogue beauty editor, “introduced brilliant marketing ideas that we take for granted today: ‘gift with purchase’; special packaging for Christmas, Easter, spring, and summer; seasonal makeup.” Born in 1933, Lauder served in the Navy before following his destiny. Along the way he made the world a better—and more beautiful–place through his support of Alzheimer’s and breast cancer research and the arts.
Read Leonard Lauder’s obituary.
Read Shirley Lord on Leonard Lauder.
Read Jean Godfrey-June on Leonard Lauder.
Christoph von Weyhe stands in front of one of his artworks, 2016.
Photo: Bertrand Rindoff Petroff / Getty Images
Christoph von Weyhe, Artist and Partner of Azzedine Alaïa Who Protected the Designer’s Legacy
Born in Germany in 1937, Christoph von Weyhe moved to Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts. The partner of Azzedine Alaïa, he was also involved with the business, and in 2007 cofounded the Association Azzedine Alaïa (now the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa). A quiet but steady force, Von Weyhe’s “presence and support were an integral part of the maison’s journey,” wrote his colleagues, and “his legacy remains, quietly etched into the history of Alaïa.” It’s also painted into it. The journalist Alexander Fury reported that the pre-1980 couture labels were hand-painted by Von Weyhe.
Marianne Faithfull, Musician, Muse, Survivor, and Style Icon
For Marianne Faithfull, music and fashion were always intertwined. Archival photos capture in amber her relationship with Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones, as well as the way her style transitioned from the sweet to the swinging and sometimes salacious. (See her 1968 film Naked Under Leather.) By the end of the ’60s, Faithfull was an addict who had lost custody of her son. Nonetheless, she persevered; she released an album, Broken English, in 1979, and was clean by 1985. At the turn of the millennium, she was embraced by a new generation and successfully resumed her musical career, her voice taking on the character of a woman who had walked through the darkness. In 2011, she was made a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government.
David Lynch, 2017.
Photo: Franco Origlia / Getty Images
David Lynch, Filmmaker of the Absurd Whose “Lynchian” Aesthetic Lives On
The director David Lynch was a man of odd ritual-like habits—“like drinking the same milkshake every day at 2:30 p.m. at Bob’s Big Boy in Los Angeles for seven years”—as Charlotte Owen wrote in Vogue’s obituary. His take on the world was twisted, eerie, and open-ended, and his explorations of the absurdity of life were distinctive. So distinctive in fact, that the Lynchian aesthetic infiltrated all manner of creative expressions, including fashion. The filmmaker was active on the back and front ends of the industry; he directed Calvin Klein’s Obsession ads, and his work inspired collections and shows from the likes of Rei Kawakubo, Raf Simons, and Jun Takahashi of Undercover.
See David Lynch’s impact on the runway.
Read about David Lynch’s film costumes.