Legendary fashion designer Pam Hogg has died

The legendary Scottish fashion designer Pam Hogg has passed away, according to a statement on her official Instagram page. “The Hogg Family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Pamela. We are grateful in the knowledge that her final hours were peaceful and surrounded by the loving care of cherished friends and family,” began the statement.

“We wish to thank all the staff of St Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney for the beautiful support they provided for Pamela in her final days,” it continued. “Pamela’s creative spirit and body of work touched the lives of many people of all ages and she leaves a magnificent legacy that will continue to inspire, bring joy and challenge us to live beyond the confines of convention. Pamela will continue to live in our hearts and minds. A glorious life lived and loved.”

Born in Paisley in 1951, Hogg studied Fine Art and Textiles at Glasgow School of Art, before moving to London to study for her masters degree at the Royal College of Art. While in London, music became a huge creative outlet for Hogg, fronting a band called Rubbish in the late 1970s and then becoming a part of the Blitz Club scene.

A legendary nightclub in London’s Covent Garden, the Blitz Club was a crucial venue for the 1980s New Romantic movement. According to the designer, her first forays into making her own clothes was as a result of the club’s strict dress code, enforced by its infamous doorman Steve Strange. From there, Hogg released her first collection Psychedelic Jungle in 1981 and became part of the ‘New Wave’ group of designers, inspired by punk aesthetics, androgyny, bold, colourful hair and futuristic beauty looks.

Despite never bending to fashion’s mainstream, Hogg’s singular aesthetic found fans in many pop figures including Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, TV presenter Paula Yates, and The Cult frontman Ian Astbury. The catsuit is inarguably the item that Hogg is most known for, having created chevron striped all-in-ones for stars including Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga and Rihanna to name a few. “Every woman who’s ever tried on one of my catsuits has said, ‘Oh my God, I can’t wear that’,” she told The Guardian in 2018. “I always tell them to just try it on. When they do, they instantly feel empowered.”

Hogg may be gone but she has left an indelible mark on fashion. Her designs – which seamlessly and fearlessly fused fashion, punk and fetish – will go on to influence generations after generations, as they have done before. In the statement released today, the Hogg family closed out their tribute by saying that “Pamela will continue to live in our hearts and minds” because of a “glorious life, lived and loved” – a touching sentiment that will surely be felt in the fashion industry and beyond.