“Stella had been unwell for some time. So it is a matter of our deepest sorrow and despair that she felt unable to go on, despite the love of those closest to her. In grieving Stella’s loss, her family renews a heartfelt request that respect for their privacy should continue.”

Known for her androgynous looks and aristocratic heritage (she was the granddaughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire, Andrew Cavendish, and his wife Deborah Mitford, the youngest of the high-society sisters), Stella Tennant catapulted to fame almost by accident in 1993, when she appeared in the pages of Vogue. Photographed by Stephen Meisel, the “Anglo-Saxon Attitude” shoot depicted the 22-year-old with kohl-rimmed eyes and a pierced septum, outfitted in fishnets and a mini kilt. Within a week, she was shooting a campaign for Versace, and went on to work with designers and fashion houses including Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chanel.

“Stella Tennant was a supermodel who showed women the beauty of being different”