During her lifetime she travelled extensively, styling fashion shoots from Bhutan to Easter Island, and anyone working with her—photographers, models, make-up artists, assistants—have stories to tell about her infectious enthusiasm and love for fashion and for life. Even if this meant rising at 3am and driving three hours to get the perfect sunrise. Twice named British fashion journalist of the Year, she was appointed OBE in 2013 for services to fashion, and published her own book, Leopard, Fashion’s Most Powerful Print, in 2018, with a personal dedication to her favorite fabulous forever print. “I don’t think that I will ever actually retire from the industry,” she once said. “I just love clothes and jewelry too much.” In her later years she had become an active supporter for charities including Battersea Dogs and Cats home, the Royal Osteoporosis Society, and Fashion for the Brave. She also styled many fashion shows over the years for Breast Cancer Care, and was particularly devoted to inspiring and mentoring young fashion journalists and designers.
“Hilary was one of the original, old-school fashion journalists,” said Edward Enninful, British Vogue’s editor-in-chief and Vogue’s European editorial director. “I remember she was really kind to me when I was first starting out in the industry. Everybody wanted to read what she had to say about fashion, but also she was hilarious, you could always feel her energy. She was so alive.”
Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of US Vogue and Condé Nast’s global chief content officer, said: “Hilary was irrepressible in everything she did. She lived life to the fullest and her reporting on fashion was just as committed. I threw a party for her in Paris when she retired… except she never retired! Hilary could never quite leave an industry that she loved so much.”
“Her wit, intelligence and her fashion wisdom will be greatly missed,” said artist Daniel Lismore. “She was a very funny lady who led an extremely colorful life.”
Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes said: “Hilary Alexander was the epitome of amazing enthusiasm and hard work. She never gave up on a story and the research that went with it. We will never be able to fill the gap she has left.”
“With an energetic response to anything ‘fashion,’ Hilary’s enthusiasm was for young British talent and for photographers who would take rising young models off to distant places,” said Suzy Menkes in an Instagram post.
Alexander became the honorary president of Graduate Fashion Foundation in 2019. “Graduating fashion students enthralled her,” Chairman Douglas MacLennan said in a statement. “Their innovation and their imagination always brought her back. While a fashion light has sadly now expired, the memory of Hilary’s enthusiasm will continue within the work of the charity and its trustees.”
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