Model and Fashion Muse Stella Tennant Suddenly Dies at Age 50 — What Happened?

Iconic model and fashion designer Stella Tennant suddenly passed away days after her 50th birthday. The talented model reigned in the ‘90s walking for brands like Versace and Alexander McQueen.

Famous British model Stella Tennant has tragically passed away at 50. Tennant suddenly died on Tuesday, December 22, five days before her birthday. Her family announced the heartbreaking news via a statement that read:

“It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of Stella Tennant on 22 December 2020. Stella was a wonderful woman and an inspiration to us all. She will be greatly missed.”

The family asked that their privacy be respected and noted that arrangements for a memorial service would be announced later. Since the heartbreaking announcement of her death, several tributes have poured in from fashion powerhouses.

She was mostly responsible for introducing an era of androgyny into the modeling industry.

Designer Stella McCartney led the tributes with a throwback black-and-white photo of them backstage. The English designer described her friend’s death as a horrific and sad way to end the year before extending her condolences to Tennant’s family.

McCartney wrote that she was dumbfounded by the loss and called the deceased an inspiration, praising her inner beauty. Donatella Versace also had some kind words for the late model, writing that Tennant said goodbye too soon.

The Italian fashion powerhouse recalled the first time they met and promised to cherish every memory they made together. Edward Enniful, the editor-in-chief of British Vogue, posted a cover graced by Tennant.

He called her “kind and wonderful” in the accompanying caption. Tennant rose to fame in the 1990s, walking the runway with the likes of Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss.

She was mostly responsible for introducing an era of androgyny into the modeling industry with her bold style and pixie haircut. Her unique style was noticed by high-profile fashion designers like Karl Lagerfeld, who made her the face of Chanel in 1996.

The iconic muse was born into a family of aristocrats. She was the granddaughter of Andrew Cavendish, the 11th Duke of Devonshire, and Deborah Mitford. Away from her modeling career, she was a strong advocate for the environment.

She founded the Second Hand September campaign to help raise awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Tennant was survived by her husband of 21 years, David Lasnet, and their four children.

Tennant joins the long list of celebrities the world has, unfortunately, had to say goodbye to in 2020. It includes actor Jeremy Bulloch, Ann Reinking, Carol Sutton, Sean Connery, and Alex Trebek.