“If you don't wear lipstick, I can't talk to you.” Isabella Blow

Subject - Isabella Blow ( née Delves Broughton ) - Arrived in this world 19th November 1958 London – Left this world 7th May 2007 Gloucestershire, England

Vintage leather jacket - Acrylic leather paint, detritus of life, classic button badges

Date created 2026

Sweepings from the studio floor. An ongoing series of hand-painted leather jackets celebrating women who broke boundaries, challenged convention, and inspired generations through their courage and creativity. Each piece is created as an original artwork — a tribute to individuality, rebellion, and fearless self-expression.

Isabella Blow had a complex and often uncompromising view of women in fashion. She believed fashion could be a powerful form of self-expression and transformation, but she was also acutely aware of its pressures, particularly on women.

Some of her key perspectives included:

Fashion as empowerment

Blow saw clothing as a way to create identity rather than simply follow trends. She famously said: "Fashion is a vampiric thing. It's the hoover on your brain."

Although critical of fashion's demands, she also believed extraordinary clothes could give women confidence and allow them to reinvent themselves.

Championing individuality

Rather than celebrating conventional beauty, Blow was drawn to originality. She discovered and promoted talents such as Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, and Sophie Dahl because she valued imagination and character over conformity.

She admired women who looked distinctive and embraced eccentricity rather than trying to fit a commercial ideal.