The story of Isabella Blow—the wildly original and utterly outrageous blue-blooded fashion editor—perfectly captures what it means to be a fashion legend. Born in London, Blow moved to America in the late 1970s and began her career at Vogue, first as Anna Wintour’s assistant and later working under André Leon Talley. With her eccentric wardrobe, unconventional friends (like artist Jean-Michel Basquiat), and quirky habits—such as cleaning her desk with Perrier water and Chanel No. 5—she quickly left her mark on everyone around her.

Returning to Britain in 1986, she took on major roles at Tatler, British Vogue, and The Sunday Times, where her fashion spreads didn’t just push boundaries—they shattered them. Blow gave readers a view of fashion through her own unique lens, blending high style with avant-garde flair—a signature touch.

Beyond her influence in fashion, Blow had an uncanny eye for spotting groundbreaking talent before the designers or models even realized their own potential. She mentored and championed rising stars, introducing them to key industry players. Among her discoveries were designers Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, and Jeremy Scott, as well as models Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl—all of whom she supported long after they found success.

After her death in 2007, her life was chronicled in the book Blow by Blow (2010), written by her husband Detmar Blow with Tom Sykes. Her iconic wardrobe was later showcased in the acclaimed Fashion Galore! exhibition at London’s Somerset House, and she appeared in several McQueen documentaries. Now, nearly two decades later, she’s the subject of an upcoming biopic, The Queen of Fashion, with Andrea Riseborough portraying her.

“Isabella was a unique person in every way,” Treacy tells Vogue about the film honoring his late mentor and friend. “She deserves all of this and more.”

On set in Cardiff, Wales, the atmosphere is electric—camera crews dart around, assistants coordinate via walkie-talkies, and garment bags zip past. Inside a warehouse transformed into a film set, director Alex Marx explains how the project came to life.

“This has been a decade in the making,” Marx says. “I first learned about Isabella at the Toronto Film Festival after watching a documentary on Janis Joplin. A friend mentioned her in a conversation about mental health, and after researching her, I knew I had to make a film.”

After gaining approval from Blow’s inner circle, Marx assembled a team, secured funding, and brought the project to life. Today’s shoot recreates a pivotal moment in fashion history: Alexander McQueen’s spring 1994 Nihilism show—only his third collection, which introduced his infamous bumster trousers and hinted at the revolutionary work to come.

The day is split into two parts: first, capturing the chaotic backstage energy, then filming the runway spectacle itself.The backstage area is packed with clothes racks, makeup-covered dressing tables, and scattered cigarettes. A model lineup sheet is pinned to the wall, alongside a sign that reads, “No smoking near the collection. Even you, Issie! x”—each detail carefully arranged to recreate the pre-show atmosphere.

As the scene starts, models rush around, getting last-minute touches on their thin eyebrows and messy buns, with stray strands of hair sticking out. McQueen, played by Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole, stands at the center of it all, wearing a checked shirt with needles and threads pinned to it. He moves like a whirlwind, barking orders to gather his models.

Behind him, the poised and watchful Isabella Blow (played by Andrea Riseborough) reassures him, cigarette in hand. She wears a fitted black jacket, a voluminous white skirt with black sequined accents, and a Philip Treacy hat adorned with black wires tipped with white circles—her signature red lip completing the look. (In real life, Blow wore this same hat when she met David Beckham, who complimented her. She famously replied, “Thank you—everything good comes with a hole.”)

Getting Blow’s costumes right was essential for the film. After her death, her wardrobe was set to be auctioned at Christie’s, but her friend Daphne Guinness stepped in to buy the entire collection privately. Guinness has since preserved it and generously loaned pieces for the film, making up about 80% of Riseborough’s wardrobe. One standout piece—fashion lovers, take note—is a pink tailored coat with a barbed-wire print and real human hair lining, inspired by Jack the Ripper, from McQueen’s graduate collection.

“Along with Daphne’s collection, designers like Philip Treacy, Manolo Blahnik, Jeremy Scott, and emerging talent Karina Bond have either loaned pieces Isabella wore, sent similar styles, or helped recreate key outfits,” says the film’s costume supervisor, Sian Evans.

Later, the warehouse fills with actors, extras, and Blow’s real-life family and friends. In the front row, actors play Vogue’s Hamish Bowles, McQueen’s sister Janet, his mother Joyce, and Blow’s husband Detmar. Nearby sit the real Detmar, Blow’s sister-in-law Selina, her nephew Augustus and niece Violet, and her former assistant Mary Fellowes. Behind them, extras pose as journalists, photographers, and fashion students.

With the clap of the board, the scene begins. Riseborough’s Blow emerges from behind a curtain, striding along the front row to her seat. Models then take the runway, wearing striking looks recreated for the film—a rust-stained cellophane dress, a soaked white T-shirt revealing the chest, and, of course, the infamous bumster trousers paired with cropped tops to expose even more skin. As they walk to blaring music, each outfit leaves the audience in awe.

The show ends with a standing ovation led by Blow and McQueen’s mother—another true-to-life detail. The director calls “Cut!”

As the 12-hour shoot wraps, Detmar reflects on what his late wife would have thought. “Issie would absolutely love this,” he tells me. “When Alex came to see me, I was honored—as Issie would be—that he wanted to do this project. And Issie being played by an Oscar nominee?” He laughs warmly. “Well…”“What’s not to love?” Detmar recalls that soon after John Galliano joined Dior in 1996, the designer held several meetings at the fashion house, including one with the Blows. When they arrived, Blow told Galliano, “I’m sure you’ve been meeting plenty of people like me today.” He responded, “Issie, there’s nobody like you.”

This perfectly captures the spirit of the moment: Blow—and her remarkable life story, brought to life in The Queen of Fashion—is truly one of a kind.