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Melanie Ward, Pioneering Fashion Stylist, Dies of Cancer

Industry tributes highlight a career that redefined the stylist's role in fashion imagery.

Overview

  • Ward's family confirmed her death from cancer on her official Instagram account on Oct. 22.
  • Designers, editors and models including Kate Moss, Calvin Klein, Donatella Versace and Kim Jones posted tributes recalling her talent and generosity.
  • Her early collaborations with Corinne Day and David Sims helped shape 1990s grunge and introduced a teenage Kate Moss to a wider audience.
  • She served as senior fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar U.S. from 1995 for 14 years, later consulting for Karl Lagerfeld and partnering closely with Helmut Lang.
  • She remained active into 2025, with her most recent credited styling appearing in Dior’s Menswear Fall/Winter 2025 campaign.