Designer and art director Judy Blame has died aged 58

Designer, stylist and art director to many of the fashion industry’s biggest names, Judy Blame, has died aged 58. Over his career Judy consulted for brands and designers such as Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garçons, Gareth Pugh and Louis Vuitton. He worked on fashion editorials with Juergen Teller and Mark Lebon, art directed Björk’s Debut album and Massive Attack’s Blue Lines era, and is credited with shaping the images of Kylie Minogue, Neneh Cherry and Boy George. The latter tweeted: “R.I.P to my friend Judy Blame who was beautiful, talented and arch as hell. Fashion has a huge void in it and London has lost a legend”.

Born in 1960 in Surrey, he became part of London’s underground club scene, particularly Covent Garden’s Blitz post-punk club night in the late 70s – home to the burgeoning New Romantic subculture.

In 1985 he helped shoe designer John Moore set up Dalston’s House of Beauty and Culture, a collective of artists including Fiona Skinner, Mark Lebon, Peter Foster, Richard Torry and Christopher Nemeth. Soon he began to work as a fashion stylist for publications such as i-D, Blitz and The Face.

Last year, London’s ICA staged Judy Blame: Never Again, the first major solo exhibition of the creative’s work. On display were the outlandish accessories and jewellery he designed from the beginning of his career, that the ICA comments were an outlet for his “non-conformist attitude and a desire to distinguish himself within the London club scene”.