Supermodel Stella Tennant Has Died At Age 50
It’s very redundant at this point to call 2020 out as being the worst year, but it still feels like the right thing to do at this particular moment. Because this is entirely too sad of news to be writing about. Iconic Scottish runway model and one of the faces of the 90s, Stella Tennant, has passed away unexpectedly and suddenly, just five days after her 50th birthday.
Stella’s family confirmed the news with a statement released to The Guardian, explaining that Stella passed away yesterday morning. via People magazine:
“It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on December 22, 2020. Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed. Her family asks for their privacy to be respected. Arrangements for a memorial service will be announced at a later date.”
Stella leaves behind her husband of 21 years, photographer-turned-osteopath David Lasnet, and their four children, Marcel (22), Cecily (19), Jasmine (18), and Iris (16), which makes this news feel like an even bigger blow.
Stella Tennant has a biography that’s way more than just, “She used to strut down catwalks,” although that was a big part, and extremely notable. But she was born in Scotland to an aristocratic family (her grandfather was the 11th Duke of Devonshire). She went to school for sculpture, and in 1993, at the age of 23, she decided to try modeling. So she sent some photographs of herself to a fashion magazine. Those photographs eventually made their way into Steven Meisel, who put her on the cover of Italian Vogue. Not long after, Karl Lagerfeld announced Stella as the new face of Chanel. She became a muse for Karl and Chanel, and also for Gianni Versace. And then basically she never stopped working. Stella went on to walk runways and do print campaigns for Chanel, Calvin Klein, Burberry, Versace, Hermès. Stella’s androgynous look and face were a massive contrast to the gorgeous bombshells like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford of the earlier 90s.
After she had her son in 1998, Stella considered retiring but realized she really liked her “part-time job” as a model, so she kept doing it. In 2012, she was inducted as Model of the Year into the Scottish Fashion Awards Hall of Fame. Her final runway gig was for the Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 runway in January earlier this year. It’s very clear that she had no plans to ever retire.
Plenty of fashion industry types were quick to pay tribute to Stella and her sad, sudden passing:
Later in her career, Stella got really passionate about environmentalism, working with organizations to help combat climate change. Last year, she urged people to take a month off from buying new clothing, to shop second hand, and to consider the environmental impact fast fashion has on the world.
The most iconic version of Stella Tennant to me is the print campaigns she did for Jil Sander, but there’s no way you can talk about Stella’s career without bringing up THAT Chanel bikini:
You can’t reduce the woman’s career down to a bikini, I know. But that bikini is how you know she was good at her job. Those nipple covers are the size of an Oreo cookie, and she’s still walking with extreme levels of confidence. A less-brave model would have shimmied that beach towel up to their shoulders and awkwardly tried to use it as a shawl.
Rest in peace, Stella Tennant.
Pic: British Vogue