Supermodel Stella Tennant dies at 50: Versace, Stella McCartney offer condolences

Stella Tennant, the iconic British model, famed for her statuesque beauty and inimitable personal style, has passed away at 50.

Her family confirmed on Wednesday that Stella Tennant had died suddenly at the age of 50.

Who was aristocratic British model Stella Tennant?

Tennant was born in 1970 as the youngest of three to the Hon. Tobias Tennant and his wife Lady Emma—daughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife Deborah, the youngest of the famous high-society Mitford sisters. Despite her aristocratic pedigree, Tennant's upbringing was decidedly more down to earth; she grew up on a 1,500-acre sheep farm in the Scottish Borders. 

No suspicious circumstances found

In a statement, her family said: "It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on Dec. 22. Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed," it said.

The family asked for privacy and said arrangements for a memorial service would be announced later. However, they did not disclose her cause of death.

As per reports, Police Scotland said officers were called to an address in the Scottish Borders town of Duns on Tuesday following a 50-year-old woman's sudden death. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

Her achievements

Her career as a model began when she caught the eye of fashion writer Plum Sykes, with whom she appeared in the now-iconic Steven Meisel shoot for British Vogue's December 1993 issue, "Anglo-Saxon Attitude," which captured a nascent London scene of well-heeled women whose eccentric take on style offered a British counterpart to the U.S. grunge movement. A famous anecdote saw Tennant show up to the shoot with a nose ring, much to the Vogue editors' surprise—it was her refusal to remove it that endeared her to Meisel, who invited her to model for him the next day in a Paris shoot for Vogue Italia.

 She was a muse to many eminent designers, Stella rose to fame in the 1990s when she walked for designers like Gianni Versace and Alexander McQueen.

Tennant also appeared in advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Chanel, Hermes and Burberry.

Family life

In 1999, Tennant married French photographer David Lasnet. She is survived by her husband and their four children.

Condolences pour in

Stella's sudden death left many shocked who took to social media to express their condolences.

Fashion house Versace paid tribute to Tennant on Instagram and Twitter, saying: "Versace is mourning the death of Stella Tennant. Stella was Gianni Versace's muse for many years and a friend of the family. We will miss you forever, Stella. Rest In Peace." 

Donatella Versace posted a photo of Tennant on Instagram in a tribute to the model.

"Stella, I cannot believe you are gone," she wrote. "You have left us way too soon. We met when you were at the beginning of your career. I cherish every moment we spent together. Ciao. Rest In Peace."

Jeremy Scott, creative director of Italian luxury fashion house Moschino recalled how he was overwhelmed with Stell. "Truly heartbroken at the news of the loss of Stella Tennant. She was kind and gentlewoman. I will never forget seeing her backstage her first season modelling, i was still in school in new york and snuck in backstage to a show and saw her all by herself reading a book her little black hair cut with her choppy bangs hovering just above her eyes which were rimmed dark with kohl: her septum piercing, a hoop ring with one ball. I was enamoured! Tall, elegant and refined like a gazelle then self-styled into a punk!" he wrote.

Italian fashion designer Francesco Scognamiglio wrote, "The first time we meet was in 1994 at your first Versace show and last time three years ago in Paris. You are and will be my icon, and your beauty will live forever. R.I.P."

English TV personality Nigel Barker condoled

"Rest In Peace, Stella. I will never forget when you first walked into Select Models in London 1993, and you ushered in a world of change and diversity.

Designer Stella McCartney also took to social media to express grief. "My darling Stella, I f**king love you and will miss you so, so terribly. What sad, horrific news to end this already shocking year! My heart goes out to your stunning family who must be in such undeserving pain. I am speechless... Rest in peace, you inspiring woman. x Stella"

 Netizens on Twitter are grieving the loss of supermodel.