Beloved British stylist Melanie Ward has died, and the fashion world is mourning the loss of a woman with so much talent.
Heartfelt Tributes Pour In
The news of Ward’s passing was announced on Instagram on Thursday, October 23. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our lovely Melanie after a brave battle with cancer. A visionary, radiant, full of light and love,” the caption of the post on her Instagram account reads.
The post’s comment section has been flooded with touching tributes from those who knew and loved Ward. Among the comments is one from famed designer Donatella Versace. “Dear Melanie, will forever treasure our moments together. Rest in Peace. With love, Donatella,” she wrote.
Fashion journalist and critic Sarah Mower reacted to the news of Ward’s passing with a long and heartfelt message. “I’m unbelievably sad to hear and my heart goes out to Melanie’s family, who she talked about so much from the time we were working together at Harpers Bazaar for Liz Tilberis in the 90s. English girls together … ” part of her message reads.
Other reactions include, “Melanie was my inspiration from the beginning…. she had a huge influence on fashion world,” “I will miss you very much, brilliant sweet friend. I will never forget all the funny good times we had together,” and “Such sad news. RIP dear Mel! A cultural icon, a luminary, and somebody who inspired a generation and beyond!”
Remembering Melanie Ward
Ward lived a fascinating life and accomplished so much. She is celebrated for helping to launch supermodel Kate Moss’s career, she worked as a senior fashion editor for the American edition of Harper’s Bazaar, and she is also described as “Helmut Lang’s muse and collaborator throughout the 90s and 2000s,” Dazed reports.
In a 2010 essay for Dazed, Ward reflected on her life and how she got her start in the fashion industry. “I got a BA (hons) from London University in Politics and Languages and was studying Sartre during the day, but by night I was on my aunt’s sewing machine making clothes,” she wrote.
She continued, “They would be sexy but often androgynous, like I would find a way to twist a man’s dressing gown. A few years later, I was wearing one of my creations at a party in London when a woman who worked for L’Oreal came up and said, ‘I love what you’re wearing, where did you buy it?’ I didn’t even know what styling was, and there she was offering me £300 to do it!”
