Laura "Luann" Bambrough (April 28, 1964 – March 17, 2014), known professionally as L'Wren Scott,
[Notice of death of L'Wren Scott](_blank)
mtv.com; accessed March 17, 2014. was an American model, fashion designer and stylist.
Scott started her career as a model in Paris before moving to California and styling movie stars such as
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
and
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and thr ...
. In 2006, she launched the first of her fashion collections, characterised by sumptuous femininity combined with unconventional touches, aimed at establishing a well-defined silhouette. She issued regular tips on etiquette, known as "L'Wrenisms", and extended her range into shoes, handbags, glasses, makeup and perfume. In 2013, she collaborated with
Banana Republic
In political science, the term banana republic describes a politically unstable country with an economy dependent upon the export of natural resources. In 1904, the American author O. Henry coined the term to describe Honduras and neighboring ...
on a line of affordable ready-to-wear holiday items.
Scott's longest relationship was with Rolling Stones frontman
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, whom she met in Paris around 2001. In 2014, following a period of severe depression, Scott was found dead in her home, from a suicide by hanging.
Early life and education
Scott was named Laura Bambrough by her
Mormon
Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
adoptive parents, Ivan and Lula Bambrough, who raised her in
Roy, Utah
Roy is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States, located on the west side of Interstate 15. The population estimate in 2019 was 39,613, an increase of 5.8% from 36,884 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Ogden− Clearfield, Utah Metropo ...
, with two siblings, Jan and Randall, also adoptees. Laura was soon nicknamed "Luann".
Known for her tall frame, she had already reached in height by the age of twelve, and would eventually grow to .
Because of her height, she had to sew her own clothes. She learned clothing construction, and fabric quality starting at the age of twelve.
Luann Bambrough graduated from
Roy High School in 1982.
Career
L'Wren Scott's career moved from model, stylist, to fashion designer. There are two versions of how she got her start.
The first has her at age 16, being spotted by photographer Bruce Weber, when he came to Utah on a photo shoot. He advised her to go to Paris. It is said that a year later she flew to Europe on a one-way ticket, after telling her parents she was going to New York.
The second indicates that Scott moved to Los Angeles a year-and-a-half after graduating from high school, where she was spotted by a scout with agency ties in Paris and began calling herself "L'Wren."
Working with Paris-based agencies, Glamour and Marilyn Gauthier, she went on to work for
Thierry Mugler
Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...
and
Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French high-end luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. Chanel specializes in women's ready-to-wear, luxury goods, and accessories and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear. Chanel is ...
, Helmut Newton, as well as model for photographers as
Guy Bourdin
Guy Bourdin (2 December 1928 – 29 March 1991), was a French artist and fashion photographer known for his provocative images. From 1955, Bourdin worked mostly with ''Vogue'' as well as other publications including '' Harper's Bazaar''. He shot ...
,
David Bailey
David Royston Bailey (born 2 January 1938) is an English photographer and director, most widely known for his fashion photography and portraiture, and role in shaping the image of the Swinging Sixties.
Early life
David Bailey was born at Wh ...
and
Jean-Paul Goude
Jean-Paul Goude (born 8 December 1938 in Montreuil (France)) is a French graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, advertising film director and event designer. He worked as art director at ''Esquire'' magazine in New York City during the 1 ...
. Her first commercial success was as the legs on a clock for the
Pretty Polly Pretty Polly may refer to:
* "Pretty Polly" (ballad)
* ''Pretty Polly'' (film)
* ''Pretty Polly'' (opera)
* Pretty Polly (horse)
* Pretty Polly (hosiery)
Pretty Polly is a British brand of women's tights based in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, En ...
hosiery ads, with photographs taken by David Bailey.
Stylist
Scott moved to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
in the early 1990s and established herself as a stylist, initially in collaboration with photographer
Herb Ritts
Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on black a ...
, and later with
Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton (born Helmut Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-a ...
,
Karl Lagerfeld
Karl Otto Lagerfeld (; 10 September 1933 – 19 February 2019) was a German fashion designer, creative director, artist and photographer.
He was known as the creative director of the French fashion house Chanel, a position held from 1983 ...
and
Mario Sorrenti
Mario Sorrenti (born 24 October 1971) is an Italian-American photographer and director best known for his spreads of nude models in the pages of ''Vogue'' and '' Harper's Bazaar''.
Early life
Sorrenti was born in Naples, Italy, and moved to New Y ...
. One of her early assignments was an ad campaign for
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
's White Diamonds, eventually the world's top-selling celebrity fragrance.
In 2009, she contributed designs for
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
to wear in her photo shoot with model
Jesus Luz
Jesus Pinto da Luz (born January 15, 1987) is a Brazilian model and DJ.
Early life and family
Luz was born in Rio de Janeiro. He is the son of a hairdresser and public official in the Rio de Janeiro city government. His name was given to him b ...
for ''
W Magazine
''W'' is an American fashion magazine that features stories about style through the lens of culture, fashion, art, celebrity, and film.
W was created in 1972 by James Brady, the publisher of sister magazine ''Women's Wear Daily'' (''WWD''), ori ...
'' and in 2011, Scott styled actress
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and thr ...
for a ''W Magazine'' shoot, alongside
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
. She designed costumes for such films as ''
Diabolique'' (1996 remake), ''
Ocean's Thirteen
''Ocean's Thirteen'' (stylized as ''Ocean's 13'') is a 2007 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. It is the final installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy and the sequel to ...
'', ''
Eyes Wide Shut
''Eyes Wide Shut'' is a 1999 erotic mystery psychological drama film directed, produced, and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is based on the 1926 novella '' Traumnovelle'' (''Dream Story'') by Arthur Schnitzler, transferring the story's sett ...
'', as well as ''
Shine a Light'', a documentary by
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...
about
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
, with
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, with whom she had been romantically linked since 2001.
Designer
As Scott told ''
Vogue
Vogue may refer to:
Business
* ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine
** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine
** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine
** ''Vogue China'', ...
'' in 2009, "I trusted my instincts and stuck to what I believed in." Scott designed clothing, makeup, perfume, handbags, shoes, and eyeglasses.
Silhouette
"I like a very sexy silhouette, and I like to feel like when you put something on, you zip yourself into it, and you're secure in there."
Net-A-Porter described Scott's designs as "seductive, old-world feel: super-feminine silhouettes; rigorous cuts; nipped-in waists; pencil skirts, high-collared blouses; elegant, long-sleeved dresses."
Scott was well known for her attention to the details. Described as "luxury dressing," Scott was a hands-on designer, sourcing, often cutting patterns, sewing, and fitting many of the clothes herself.
"L'Wrenisms"
As a designer, she had developed what her followers called, "L'Wrenisms,' which were style tips. As quoted in ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, whi ...
'', they are an eccentric mix of opinions and practical tips.
These included:
* Wearing a nude shoe to elongate the leg.
* Spraying perfume on the back of the hand, rather than the wrist, because it was more elegant.
* Don't eat with a plastic fork.
* Avoid drinking out of a bottle, if possible.
* Avoid bras and
Spanx
Spanx, Inc. is an American underwear maker focusing on shaping briefs and leggings, founded in Atlanta, Georgia. The company manufactures mainly pantyhose and other underwear for women and, since 2010, produces male underwear as well. Spanx spe ...
- Scott believed that a well designed garment should do it all for the wearer.
Inspiration
In a backstage interview with Harriet Mays Powell of
''New York'', she describes her design process. She starts with color, then designs fabrics, and then designs the clothes. Her inspiration was found in nature and in things around her. Several collections, most especially her Madame DuBarry (SS 2011), as well as the inclusion of peony shirts, scarf, and pants in her Banana Republic collection reflect this nature-based inspiration.
Collaborations and collections
In 2006, L'Wren Scott launched her first collection "Little Black Dress."
The collection presented black dresses, including her now famous "Headmistress" dress worn by Madonna.
Scott's creations were seen often on the red carpet.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 1 ...
,
Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...
,
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
,
Penélope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez (; ; born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress. Known for her roles in films of several genres, particularly those in the Spanish language, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British A ...
and
Amy Adams
Amy Lou Adams (born August 20, 1974) is an American actress. Known for both her comedic and dramatic roles, she has been featured three times in annual rankings of the world's highest-paid actresses. She has received various accolades, incl ...
have all worn Scott's dresses to the
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
.
In addition, First Lady
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...
favored L'Wren Scott's designs, especially embellished cardigan sweaters. The former First Lady of France,
, wore Scott's designs, as did
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...
,
Marion Cotillard
Marion Cotillard (; born 30 September 1975) is a French actress, film producer, singer, and environmentalist who is widely known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters in both European and Hollywood productions.
She has received ...
,
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...
,
Christina Hendricks
Christina Rene Hendricks (born May 3, 1975) is an American actress and former model. With an extensive career on screen and stage, she has received various accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Award nominations, two Screen Actors Guild Awa ...
,
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
,
Sandra Bullock
Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...
and
Uma Thurman
Uma Karuna Thurman (born April 29, 1970) is an American actress and former model. She has performed in a variety of films, from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action films. Following her appearances on the December 1985 an ...
.
In 2010, Scott collaborated with
Lancôme
Lancôme () is a French luxury perfumes and cosmetics house that distributes products internationally. Lancôme is part of the L'Oréal Luxury Products division, which is its parent company and offers luxury skin care, fragrances, and makeup at ...
to create a capsule collection for the 2010 holiday season featuring a lipstick in Scott's signature bordeaux color. The campaign was shot by photographer
Mario Testino
Mario Eduardo Testino Silva OBE HonFRPS (born 30 October 1954) is a Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer.
His work has featured internationally in magazines such as ''Vogue, V Magazine,'' '' Vanity Fair'' and '' GQ.'' He has also cre ...
and featured model
Daria Werbowy
Daria Werbowy (born 19 November 1983) is a Canadian retired fashion model born in Poland. She became a spokesmodel for the French beauty brand Lancôme in 2005. According to '' Forbes'', Werbowy has appeared on over 50 international ''Vogue'' ...
wearing an outfit designed by Scott.
May 2011 saw the launch of Scott's first collection of handbags, named "Lula" after her mother". The line was launched at
Barneys New York
Barneys New York Inc. is an American luxury brand founded in New York City in 1923. It has introduced major designers including Armani, Azzedine Alaïa, Comme des Garçons, Christian Louboutin, and Ermenegildo Zegna to the US market.
Barneys N ...
, with a personal appearance by Scott.
In 2012, L'Wren Scott launched her eponymous scent sold exclusively at Barney's. The scent is an eau de parfum priced at $195 for 3.4 oz. She also launched an eyewear line the same year. The collection debuted at Vision Expo East, and was a collaborative partnership with the German-based Menrad Group.
The L'Wren Scott collections were:
* 2008: Purple Haze (Fall-Winter), and Dragonfly Blues (Spring-Summer);
* 2009: Bois de Boulonge (FW) and Zephyr (SS).
* 2010: Tuxedo Terrace (FW), and Madame du Barry (SS)
* 2011: A Tropical Conversation (FW), and Serengeti Sunset (SS)
* 2012: Tea Time (FW) and Beau Monde (SS)
* 2013: Propaganda (RST), Yorkshire Pudding (SS), and Allegory of Love (FW)
* 2014: Tagasode (SS).
In February 2014, the
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week (LFW) is a clothing trade show that takes place in London twice a year, in February and September. Showcasing over 250 designers to a global audience of influential media and retailers, it is one of the 'Big Four' fashion wee ...
showing of her fall 2014 collection was canceled, citing delays in production.
It was announced that the collection would be revealed via social media, and be presented in her Paris showroom to editors and retail buyers in March.
In 2013, Scott collaborated with
Banana Republic
In political science, the term banana republic describes a politically unstable country with an economy dependent upon the export of natural resources. In 1904, the American author O. Henry coined the term to describe Honduras and neighboring ...
with an exclusive holiday collection including apparel and accessories for women. The collection was her first foray into an affordable line of ready-to-wear, and included everything from scarves, jeans, purses, sweaters, pajamas, and cocktail dresses. The collection was launched on December 5, with an opening attended by celebrities dressed in the clothing.
She collaborated with makeup artist and brand Bobbi Brown to create lip glosses, eye shadows and cheek color, which came out in 2014. In 2013, she also designed a limited edition bottle for Caudalie's Beauty Elixir.
The Rolling Stones
L'Wren Scott collaborated with Mick Jagger to design his costumes for Rolling Stones tours. These included a gorilla coat covered in ostrich feathers, a green jacket that Scott dubbed "Glamouflage," a black jacket with butterflies, and an embroidered gold jacket inspired by
Gustav Klimt
Gustav Klimt (July 14, 1862 – February 6, 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession movement. Klimt is noted for his paintings, murals, sketches, and other objets d'art. Klimt's prim ...
.
Personal life
L'Wren Scott was married twice, for short periods of time. From 1990 to 1993 as "Lauren Scott," she was married to British property developer Andrew Ladsky. In 1993, one month after her divorce from Ladsky, she married Anthony Brand, manager of a Prada franchise in Beverly Hills. The marriage lasted for about a year. The divorce was finalized in 1997.
[
Her longest relationship was with Rolling Stones frontman ]Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
, whom she met around 2001. The couple lived in London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, and Mustique
Mustique is a small private island in the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which is part of the Grenadines, a chain of islands in the West Indies. The island is located within Grenadines Parish, and the closest island is the uninhabit ...
. Scott's siblings have divided opinions regarding Jagger's relationship with their sister.
Death
After a long period of depression, Scott was found dead by her assistant at her apartment in the Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
neighborhood of Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
on March 17, 2014. The police reported that no note was found and there was no sign of foul play. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner determined Scott's death to be suicide by hanging. She was 49.[L'Wren Scott: the mysterious suicide of Mick Jagger's girlfriend](_blank)
Elizabeth Day, June 20, 2014.
Upon learning of her death, Mick Jagger wrote on his website and on his official Facebook page:
I am still struggling to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way. We spent many wonderful years together and had made a great life for ourselves. She had great presence and her talent was much admired, not least by me. I have been touched by the tributes that people have paid to her, and also the personal messages of support that I have received. I will never forget her.
A memorial in Utah on April 12, 2014 was led by her brother Randall Bambrough. Bambrough urged people to remember Scott "As a wonderful terrific person who was highly talented and had a very large heart and brought the best out in people." L'Wren Scott's ashes were buried next to her parents, Ivan and Lula Bambrough, near the family home in Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in and the county seat of Weber County, Utah, United States, approximately east of the Great Salt Lake and north of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,321 in 2020, according to the US Census Bureau, making it Utah's eighth ...
. A final memorial was held for her friends on May 2, 2014, led by Jagger and Randall Bambrough in New York City.
Legacy
In January 2015, it was announced that Mick Jagger had created a three-year scholarship fund in her name for fashion design
Fashion design is the Art (skill), art of applying design, aesthetics, clothing construction and natural beauty to clothing and its Fashion accessory, accessories. It is influenced by culture and different trends, and has varied over time and plac ...
students at the London-based school Central Saint Martins
Central Saint Martins is a public tertiary art school in London, England. It is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. It offers full-time courses at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and a variety of shor ...
. The scholarship, which began in October 2015 covers all the fees for one student each year, over the course of three years (through 2017).
In the weeks following her death, both her Banana Republic
In political science, the term banana republic describes a politically unstable country with an economy dependent upon the export of natural resources. In 1904, the American author O. Henry coined the term to describe Honduras and neighboring ...
collection and her higher-priced line at Barneys New York
Barneys New York Inc. is an American luxury brand founded in New York City in 1923. It has introduced major designers including Armani, Azzedine Alaïa, Comme des Garçons, Christian Louboutin, and Ermenegildo Zegna to the US market.
Barneys N ...
were sold out. She left her entire estate, estimated at about US$9 million, to Mick Jagger. Christie's
Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...
organized a sale of L'Wren's clothes designed for Mick Jagger planned June-July 2021. The proceedings, totalling over £365,000, went to the scholarship fund created by the British singer.
References
External links
* L'Wren Scot
official site
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scott, L'Wren
1964 births
2014 suicides
American costume designers
American fashion designers
American female models
Fashion stylists
Female suicides
Mick Jagger
People from Roy, Utah
Place of birth missing
Suicides by hanging in New York City
People from Chelsea, Manhattan
2014 deaths
American women fashion designers