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The late Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow in a photo by David LaChapelle<\/p><\/div>\n

“The\u00c2\u00a0planned sale at Christie’s could only result in carnage, as souvenir seekers plundered the incredible body of work Issie had created over her life,” the statement said. “Indeed, in many ways, the auction would not be merely a sale of clothes; it would be a sale of what was left of Issie, and the carrion crows would gather and take away her essence forever.”<\/p>\n

Guinness\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 interpretation of Blow\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wardrobe as a symbol of the life of the woman she affectionately called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Issie\u00e2\u20ac\u009d seems fair given the famous editor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s devotion to fashion and impressive collection. Guinness said she consulted Blow’s family, including hat designer Philip Treacy \u00e2\u20ac\u201c for whom Blow served as a muse, Lady\u00c2\u00a0Amanda Harlech and\u00c2\u00a0David LaChapelle before committing to purchase the entire collection, and she said they supported her decision. She also said she plans to preserve the collection the way she believes Blow would have wanted it to be kept. {LookBooks<\/a>}<\/p>\n

“I would like this unique collection, marked by her grace and the fact it was so intimately hers, to allow people (whether students, lovers of fashion,\u00c2\u00a0historians) to remember her and benefit from her legacy, when we who knew and loved Issie are no longer here,” Guinness said. “In this way all of Issie’s friends, known or unknown, near or far, both those she chose and those who identify with her, will have access to something that no one should be afraid to call by its proper name: Isabella Blow’s Work of Art.”<\/p>\n

Based on this statement, we hope to eventually see Blow\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s collection displayed for the public in a museum \u00e2\u20ac\u201c perhaps at the V&A Museum in London where Grace Kelly\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s wardrobe was recently shown. Christie\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s did not do anything wrong by intending to auction Blow\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s clothing, but we are pleased to know there may be the opportunity to view the collection in its entirety at some point, thus offering a glimpse into Blow\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s life as well as the beauty of the pieces she accumulated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"