The Fashion World Remembers Louise Wilson At Memorial Service

Close family, friends and the fashion world gathered at St Paul’s Cathedral this morning to celebrate the life of the magnificent educatorr, Professor Louise Wilson, who died in May last year. Alongside her partner, Timmi and son, TJ, Victoria Beckham came to pay her respects. So too did Kanye West – he hired her students, she went to his concerts - and Donna Karan – Louise moved to New York to be her creative director in 1997. Alber Elbaz addressed the congregation. Louise acted as his unofficial headhunter, just as she did for so many other international fashion houses, for many years. ‘All of them came from Louise’s fashion kitchen,’ he said.

Above all, though, this was probably the largest gathering of graduates from the fabled Central Saint Martin’s Fashion MA course, headed up by Louise for more than two decades, in history. Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Ilincic, Louise Goldin, Mary Katrantzou, Simone Rocha, Craig Green… The list goes on.

Reference was made, of course, to Louise’s by now legendary tough love as far as both her students and family were concerned. ‘But it is important to remind ourselves of the woman behind the icon,’ said Professor Jane Rapley, Professor Emerita at Central Saint Martins. ‘She was a consummate educator with an encyclopedic knowledge of global fashion, a driven perfectionist… The world at large did not meet her standards.’ She went on to speak of Louise’s love and concern for her family, her partner Timmi and her son Timothy, her gardening skills to which she applied the same meticulous care and attention as she did everything else she touched. ‘Her death was a horrible robbery for those left behind,’ Jane Rapley said.

As guests filed out of the famous church, they were met by a lone horsewoman, sitting side-saddle and dressed by Sarah Burton, also in attendance. She was not taught by Louise though her mentor, Alexander McQueen, famously was. Among her many other attributes Louise was a gifted and passionate equestrian as a young girl.

Tonight, Louise Wilson’s last ever students will show their final MA collections on the catwalk at the close of the first day of London Fashion Week. Her loss will doubtless be felt more keenly than ever.