She walked into the fashion world from a Scottish sheep farm. Her background mixed British aristocracy with the grit of rural life. This combination gave her an authenticity that was rare and instantly compelling.
Her career began almost by accident in the early 1990s. As a 23-year-old sculpture student, she sent photos to a magazine. She still wore a septum ring, a detail that made some editors hesitate. But it caught the eye of photographer Steven Meisel, who saw something raw and modern.
She broke the supermodel code. She refused to smile for the camera. She prioritized family and her life in the Scottish countryside over the constant glare of fame. This perspective made her a unique figure in the industry.
She treated high fashion as a means to fund her creative passions and land purchases. This refusal to play the game paradoxically made her more desirable to top designers. Stella Tennant’s legacy is one of defiant individuality, both in her work and her life.
Early Life and Aristocratic Roots
The 1,500-acre sheep farm in the Scottish Borders provided a rugged counterpoint to Stella Tennant’s aristocratic lineage. Her parents deliberately chose rural isolation over London society, creating a childhood grounded in agricultural rhythms rather than aristocratic privilege.
Family Background and Upbringing on the Scottish Farm
Her mother, Lady Emma Cavendish, was a botanical artist and daughter of the 11th Duke of Devonshire. Her father, the Honourable Tobias Tennant, was son of the 2nd Baron Glenconner. Both turned away from their inherited worlds to run what Stella called “a proper hill farm, not a hobby farm.”
The Newcastleton property demanded real work. She grew up mucking out barns and watching lambing seasons. This practical upbringing instilled a lack of pretension that would later define her career.
Her family connections stretched through history. She descended from Bess of Hardwick and was a fourth cousin-once-removed to Princess Diana. Yet the farm remained her true home.
Education and Formative Years in Art and Sculpture
After local primary school, she attended St Leonards School in St Andrews and Marlborough College. These institutions educated her but never erased the farm girl who preferred open land to drawing rooms.
At Winchester School of Art, Stella studied sculpture—her first love. She worked with materials and created pieces about bodily functions. This artistic foundation preceded the fashion world that would soon claim her.
A teenage visit to her great-uncle Stephen Tennant proved prophetic. He admired her “aristocratic nose,” the same feature she would later pierce with a septum ring. The farm had shaped her, but art would direct her path.
Breakthrough Moments in the Fashion World
A rusty nose ring and a sleeper train from Scotland introduced an unexpected new face to fashion. The year was 1993, and Stella Tennant’s entry into the magazine world happened almost by chance.
Steven Meisel’s Discovery and the Italian Vogue Cover
Photographer Steven Meisel saw something raw in the young sculpture student’s passport photo. Her septum ring fascinated him. It defied the polished glamour of supermodels at that time.
She arrived for the British Vogue shoot smelling of lanolin from working with sheep’s wool. Editor Alexandra Shulman wanted the nose ring removed. But Meisel refused.
His striking images dominated the December 1993 issue. The photographer was so captivated that he immediately invited her to Paris for a Versace campaign. There she stood quietly among established models like Linda Evangelista.
One Versace image landed on the cover of Italian Vogue. This consecration announced a new kind of model: patrician, androgynous, and utterly modern.
Chanel’s Endorsement and Karl Lagerfeld’s Vision
Karl Lagerfeld saw in Stella Tennant a resemblance to Coco Chanel herself. The sharp cheekbones and lean frame caught his attention. In 1996, he signed her to an exclusive Chanel contract.
She replaced Claudia Schiffer’s voluptuous blonde beauty with dark, angular elegance. Lagerfeld told interviewers she was more in tune with modern fashion trends.
His choice signaled a shift toward a new, androgynous ideal. This look would define the late 1990s fashion world alongside Kate Moss and Erin O’Connor.
Stella Tennant: The Icon Behind the Look
When designers sought a new kind of beauty in the 1990s, they found it in Stella Tennant’s sharp angles and unwavering authenticity. Her presence on the runway signaled a shift away from traditional glamour.
Defining Signature Style and Androgynous Edge
Stella Tennant didn’t follow fashion trends. She created them. Alongside Kate Moss, she introduced an androgynous look that changed the modeling world. Her angular frame and cropped hair became the new standard.
Designers competed to work with her. Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen, and Gianni Versace all saw her unique potential. She brought intelligence to their clothes that other models couldn’t match.
Photographers like Mario Testino and Tim Walker sought her out. They knew her refusal to smile created powerful, artistic images. Her style mixed high fashion with practical pieces.
| Year | Campaign/Event | Designer/Photographer | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Vogue “High-toned Tweeds” | Arthur Elgort | Famous pool dive in tweed suit |
| 2001 | VH1/Vogue Model of the Year | Calvin Klein | Award acceptance in army pants |
| 2002 | Burberry Campaign | Various | Influential British fashion moment |
| 2012 | London Olympics | Christopher Kane | Golden chainmail pantsuit showcase |
Her personal wardrobe showed this mix perfectly. She paired designer clothes with Wellington boots or flat sandals. This approach made high fashion feel accessible and real.
The fashion industry celebrated her unique vision. She walked 75 shows in one season, always maintaining her grounded perspective. Stella Tennant’s legacy remains one of authentic style and artistic integrity.
Personal Life, Legacy, and Creative Ventures
While the fashion world celebrated her angular beauty, Stella Tennant found her true passion in family life and sustainable design. Her personal world reflected the same authenticity that made her a modeling icon.
Family, Relationships, and the Impact of Personal Loss
The model married French photographer David Lasnet in 1999 after meeting him on a Mario Testino shoot. Their attraction was immediate. She once recalled being so smitten that rice kept falling off her fork during lunch.
They built a family with four children in the Scottish Borders. In 2003, they moved to an 18th-century house she acquired through a sealed bid. She transformed the property with exquisite taste, filling it with antique taxidermy and beautiful wallpapers.
After more than twenty years together, the couple announced their separation in August 2020. This loss compounded mental health struggles she had faced. The model died at her home in December 2020, shortly after her 50th birthday.
Innovative Ventures in Design and Sustainable Fashion
Her creative energy extended far beyond modeling. She launched Tennant & Son, producing hand-knitted cashmeres. With her sister Isabel, she created Tennant & Tennant, a luxury homeware brand.
In 2016, she collaborated with friend Lady Isabella Cawdor on a collection for Holland & Holland. They researched Scottish mills to create pieces honoring country life.
She was an early advocate for sustainable fashion. In 2009, she worked with Global Cool to promote energy conservation. She also supported Oxfam’s “Second Hand September” campaign, calling the fast fashion industry unsustainable.
| Year | Creative Venture | Collaborator/Organization | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Global Cool Campaign | Global Cool | Home Energy Conservation |
| 2016 | Holland & Holland Collection | Lady Isabella Cawdor | Country Lifestyle Fashion |
| Ongoing | Tennant & Son | Independent | Hand-Knitted Cashmere |
| Ongoing | Tennant & Tennant | Sister Isabel | Luxury Homeware |
A month before her death, she had acquired an Edinburgh townhouse to showcase her design work. Friends remembered her enthusiasm for this final project.
Reflections on a Groundbreaking Journey
From her first campaign to her final runway appearance, Stella Tennant’s career defied industry conventions about beauty and longevity. Her nearly thirty-year span in fashion proved rare staying power.
She collected honors like the VH1/Vogue Model of the Year award and British Fashion Awards recognition. These celebrated both her impact and endurance in a transient world.
Philip Treacy noted she “wasn’t trying to be a model, to be fabulous.” This refusal to perform made her irresistible to designers. Christopher Bailey captured her essence: aristocratic elegance always “a bit broken down.”
Donatella Versace described her as strong and determined. These qualities let Tennant navigate the fashion industry on her own terms. She took years off for family life, moving between New York and Scotland.
Her final work was the Valentino haute couture show in January 2020. When news of her passing broke, tributes poured in from across the industry. People remembered her kindness and grounded perspective.
The supermodel’s influence extended beyond modeling to design and sustainability. She proved a model’s life could be lived on different terms. Stella Tennant left an indelible mark on fashion history.
