Ten Unknown Facts about Stella Tennant and Her Death

Stella Tennant was a British supermodel and fashion designer who took up several modeling projects in her 30-year long career. Stella has featured on the cover of several leading fashion magazines, both as a model and for her contribution to the fashion industry. She was featured on the cover of Vogue more than once. She was known for her striking appearance; she was 6 feet tall and had a signature pixie cut. 

Her sudden death at the age of 50 came as a shock to everyone. She is survived by her husband and four children. There are some interesting facts about Stella Tennant and her personal life that came to light only after her death. Here are some of them below:

She was born to an aristocratic family 

Stella Tennant was born into a respectable family on 17 December 1970. Her father was Tobias William Tennant and her mother was Emma Cavendish. She was the daughter of the second son of Baron Glenconner, and her grandfather was the 11th duke of Devonshire. Despite this pedigree status, Stella had a very normal upbringing. She spent much of her time growing up on a sheep farm along the Scottish border.

Stella started modeling in 1990

Stella Tennant got into modeling accidentally. She visited the Winchester School of Art to study sculpture, when she landed her first modeling job in December 1993. Stella Tennant was perfect for the Vogue fashion magazine because she had a striking frame and personality. Stella's photoshoot with fashion photographer Steven Meisel was incredible. She then met Shalom Harlow, Linda Evangelista and Kristen McMenamy. This modeling project made her star overnight.

Stella was an inspiration for many people

Apart from her appeal as a model, many people found her inspiring because of her raw personality. Karl Lagerfeld and Gianna Versace were inspired by Stella. After her appearance in Vogue, Karl Lagerfeld offered Stella the chance to be the brand new face of Chanel. This catapulted her to fame. After the Chanel project, Stella Tennant appeared in various ad campaigns, runways and collections, always sporting a stoic look.

Stella as an environmental reformer:  

Her career in the fashion industry prompted her to explore environmentalism. She started a second-hand September campaign to drive awareness about the fashion industry’s tremendous environmental impact. The main aim of this campaign was to motivate people to purchase second-hand clothes in September.

About her husband and her four children

Stella's husband David Lasnet works as an osteopath. In 2020, the couple split after 21 years of marriage. They didn’t share their reasons, but they worked together to raise their four children Marcel, Jasmine, Iris and Cecily. After the separation from David, Stella was heartbroken.

Stella’s first retirement

Stella Tennant had announced her early retirement from the fashion world after her first pregnancy in 1988. However, soon after her second pregnancy, she realized that modeling was her first love. In 1998 and 2001, Stella appeared in the Pirelli calendar and won "model of the year" at the VH1 Fashion Awards.

Stella's appearance at different fashion events for many agencies

As a supermodel, Stella became successful at the age of 21. She worked with numerous fashion agencies like VIVA (London, Paris, and Barcelona), DNA (New York), and Mega Model. She appeared on the cover of various fashion magazines such as Purple Fashion, Vogue UK, Muse and the Sunday Times Style.

London Olympics walks

Stella was an inspiration for many. She walked at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London. Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell also appeared with her. Both models were impressed with Stella Tennant's professional nature. They also sent out sad messages grieving Stella's demise.

Stella's attachment with Global Cool organization

Nature-loving Stella worked for Global Cool that supported many projects to save nature and teach people how to recycle. She was passionate about the environment and always went the extra mile to lend her voice to such causes. 

Stella’s suicide mystery

Stella was a great personality who carved a special place in people's hearts. Her sudden suicide left her family and fans devastated. Her death was attributed to her struggles with mental health. Her family issued a statement following her death. They said, " Stella had not felt well for some time. She suffered from deep sorrow." It was a cruel end to a fantastic life.

Conclusion 

Stella Tennant inspired the young and old. Her professionalism as a model, her approach to fashion and her environmentalism set her apart from her peers. She is revered as a British fashion icon today, who challenged conventional notions of feminine beauty.