British Model Stella Tennant Dies at Age 50

An icon of the late 90s, Stella Tennant is mourned by her loved ones and the many fashion houses she worked with.

British supermodel Stella Tennant has passed away at the age of 50, according to reports from her family. 

“Stella was a wonderful woman and inspiration to us all,” said a statement from Tenant’s family. “She will be greatly missed.”

Stella Tennant by Richard Bush for V Magazine

According to reports, her death, which came days after her 50th birthday was “sudden,” and police have reported there were “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding it. 

Since her 1993 debut in British Vogue at the age of 22, Tennant has been an icon in the fashion industry and pioneer of the androgynous look, working with designers and major fashion houses including Burberry, Calvin Klein, Versace and Alexander McQueen. 

 

For more than 25 years, Stella Tennant has graced catwalks, editorial spreads and magazine covers. She has appeared in French, British and Italian editions of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Numero, and was soon after unveiled by Karl Lagerfeld to be the face of Chanel in the late 90s, noted for her similar appearance to Coco Chanel.

Stella Tennant and Karl Lagerfeld via Getty Images

She defined the Brittania supermodel era of the 1990s, known for her edgy pixie cut and sharp, defined bone structure, allowing her to become a muse to a number designers and inspiration to countless people.

 

In 2010, Tennant was the star of L.K. Bennett’s Spring/Summer campaign shot by Tim Walker, and in 2012 she strutted alongside Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Naomi Campbell at the London Olympic Games closing ceremony. That same year, Tennant was inducted as Model of the Year into the Scottish Fashion Awards Hall of Fame.

Stella Tennant alongside Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell at the 2012 London Olympics via the BBC

In the realm of fashion, Tennant was not only a model and style icon, but a designer, too. Her ready-to-wear collection with Lady Isabella Cawdor premiered in 2016, designed for retailer Holland & Holland

Tennant’s activism changed the world for the better—in 2009, she worked with Global Cool to promote a greener domestic lifestyle, making a video with them and becoming a face of the Turn Up The Style, Turn Down The Heat campaign. Later, in 2014, she was one of the celebrities to write a letter to The Guardian expressing support for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom. 

Stella Tennant by Richard Bush for V Magazine

Tennant is remembered by her family and the many barriers she broke down and the waves she set in the fashion industry. 

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