McQueen – who was born in London’s East End – was named British Designer of the Year on four occasions between 1996 and 2003 and made clothes for a whole range of high-profile stars, including Britain’s Prince Charles. He was also awarded a CBE as well as being named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards.
Late style icon Isabella – who killed herself in May 2007 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer – was widely credited with discovering him as a young designer, helping him on the way to his global success. However, McQueen – who was openly gay and once described himself as the “pink sheep of the family” – was forced to deny rumours there was a rift between the pair at the time of her tragic death.
He said: “It’s so much b******s. These people just don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t know me. They don’t know my relationship with Isabella. It’s complete bulls**t. “People can talk; you can ask her sisters.… That part of the industry, they should stay away from my life, or mine and Isabella’s life. What I had with Isabella was completely disassociated from fashion, beyond fashion.”