FREE ISABELLA BLOW: A LIFE IN FASHION PDF Lauren Goldstein Crowe | 304 pages | 28 Feb 2011 | QUARTET BOOKS | 9780704372191 | English | London, United Kingdom Blow by Blow: The Story of Isabella Blow by Detmar Blow | Fashion | The Guardian Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. An extraordinary biography of Isabella Blow, whose pedigree, wild style, and outrageous antics catapulted her onto the London social scene and made her a fashion icon. Inthe news of Isabella Blow's suicide at the age of 48 made headlines around the world—but there is more to the story of Isabella than her tragic end. The key supporter and muse of milliner Philip Trea An extraordinary biography of Isabella Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion, whose pedigree, wild style, and outrageous antics catapulted her onto the London social scene and made her a fashion icon. The key supporter and muse of milliner Philip Treacy and designer Alexander McQueen, Blow was truly more than a muse or patron. She was a spark, an electrical impulse that set imaginations racing, an individual who pushed others to create their best work. Her fascination with clothing began early, as did a willingness to wear things—and say things—that would amuse and shock. Over time she became famous for her work, yet it wasn't enough to assuage her devastating feelings of inadequacy. Still, in her darkest moments, even as she began a series of suicide attempts and prolonged hospital stays, Blow retained her wicked sense of humor, making her friends laugh even as they struggled to help. Lauren Goldstein Crowe has crafted a superbly entertaining narrative; wrapping the anecdotes of Isabella's antics around a candid, insightful portrayal of a woman whose thirst for the Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion ultimately became irreconcilable with life in the real world. Get A Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion. Hardcoverpages. More Details Other Editions 3. Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Isabella Blowplease sign up. Lists with This Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. Mar 04, Carole Tyrrell rated it really liked it. Isabella Isabella Blow; the ultimate fashion victim, a clothes horse, a tragic figure, an eccentric toff? I remember Isabella Blow mainly through her appearances in society or party pages. She would always be wearing an interesting outfit or saying something equally amusing. She appeared to be one of those people who are really fun to have around and are outrageous and provocative because that is who they are. It may not be the definitive account but it was a very readable one. Isabella was clearly a woman who inspired a fierce loyalty amongst her friends as well as inspiring a rich treasure trove of anecdotes. Born into the upper classes as Isabella Delves Broughton, an aristocrat, but without the family fortune to fall back on, Isabella had to make her way in the world. She was also cursed with a dysfunctional family and an inheritance of depression which she held at bay by creating an image and life for herself that was larger than life. A style maverick who encouraged designers to create the most Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion and bizarre creations which she would wear in public and carry them off in style. However, Isabella was also a profligate spender and one photo shoot used up the entire annual budget of the Tatler fashion dept. According to the book, Isabella worried about money throughout her life and lived in horror of becoming a destitute bag lady. Friends had tried to help her but ultimately the urge to die was too great. She knew that the big, black hole was waiting for her and yet she compensated for it by pushing it away for as long as she could. Isabella inspired Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion cajoled people into designing for her. Whatever she did, she did it with style — who else would have cleaned their desk with a bottle of Perrier Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion and Chanel No 5? Jun 12, Liz M rated it it was ok. All I knew of Isabella before reading this book was that she was a friend of Alexander McQueen's and a muse to Phillip Treacy; I wanted to learn how she entered the fashion world and what, exactly, she did. This book covers Isabella's family, her working life and some of her personal life. This book functions well as an overview of Isabella's life but, unfortunately, feels repetitive and disorganized. Crowe digresses into anecdotes and fun facts as though she's not quite sure where to place them. Definitely worth a read if you're interested in Isabella's family history, life as a stylist, role in discovering talent, and descent into depression; just be ready for a bit of disorganization and a typo here and there. May 03, Kelli C rated it really liked it. Apr 20, Debbie Bridge rated it really liked it. The exhibition fascinated me to the point, that when I walked out, I wanted to know more about this woman and what made her wear such incredible cloths, so I bought the biography. Something that has struck me about many of the books I decided to take with me was, the fact, there were a lot of biographies in my luggage. She committed suicide, after struggling, for many years, with mental illness. It really shows how someone so loved could not see or feel that and was lost in her illness. Lucky for me, I got to find out about her and went along to that exhibition — ya never know where life will take you. Seems Isabella Bow was a living, breathing piece of art, which is not something I really thought a person would be able to be, but she has shown me otherwise. Aug 17, Terri Durling rated it really liked it. A provocative look into the life of style icon, Isabella Blow. She was a fascinating, eccentric character and to be around her must have been intoxicating and exasperating at the same time. She appears to have been a damaged soul, strong and opinionated yet fragile and vulnerable; highly amusing and witty but masking a sadness few rarely saw. Her penchant for A provocative look into the life of style icon, Isabella Blow. Her penchant for fashion is extraordinary and she could carry off ensembles that most would look completely out of place in. She came from money but struggled with the reality that she would never have quite enough of it and worried she would end up a bag lady. It didn't stop her from reining in her spending habits and much of her debt was from her own irresponsibility. She knew how to make an entrance and many sought her company for the entertainment value alone. She surrounded herself with extraordinary people and nurtured many special relationships but in the end no one could save her, least of all herself. To be with her would have compared to being Alice finding yourself in "Wonderland". She epitomized what it is to have true style - to wear what you love and says "this is me" with confidence and she did that in spades. Oct 17, Victoria Moore rated it it was amazing Shelves: fashion-personal-stylenon-fiction. If "a collection of clothes is like a diary, a journey of a life, and a living embodiment of a person" then this book proves that a factual account of one's personal style is like a testimony of where that person's been and where they're going. The trait I found most captivating about Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion was her total devotion to creation, whether it was a phenomenal Philip Treacy hat or an otherworldly Alexander McQueen designer dress. She went all in as an editor, a patron of young artists and a cheerleader for the avant-garde to the point that it adversely affected her financially, personally, physically and psychologically. Now that's devotion! While I admired her stellar fashion sense and eye for talent and trends I can't help feeling frustrated that she never found fulfillment on all of the marvelous roads she traveled on in her life. Over the years, whenever I look back to the times she enlivened various fashion magazines with her elan and effervescent sartorial spirit, I know I'll always wonder over how she coordinated her masterpieces and be thankful we were blessed with her presence on this earth, even if it was for an all too brief time. Lately, I have become increasingly interested Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion Isabella Blow, but I don't know that this book provided me with the sort of details I'd wanted. Frankly, I don't think it's the place of a biographer to interject personal conjecture within the text. Save that for the Afterword. That said, the Afterword in this book is an interesting commentary on the savaging and the blaming of the Fashion Industry vis-a-vis Isabella Blow's death. I would have enjoyed a few more photographs. Given that Isabella B Lately, I have become increasingly interested in Isabella Blow, but I don't know that this book provided me with the sort of Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion I'd wanted.