L’Wren Scott dies at 49; model who became fashion designer

L’Wren Scott, a towering 6-foot, 4-inch fashion figure who started modeling in her teens, created her own high-end clothing line and dressed fashion fans including Nicole Kidman and First Lady Michelle Obama, was found dead Monday.

Sources differ on her age but police said she was 49.

Her body was found in her New York City apartment by an assistant. Though there were widespread reports that she was found hanged, police said no criminal activity was suspected and the coroner’s office is investigating.

Scott was romantically linked to Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger and helped style the band’s stage looks. In Hollywood, she helped forge a new role for celebrity stylists in the fashion world, parlaying her tastemaker status and access to celebrities into a clothing and accessory brand.

Her death prompted an outpouring of reaction.

“She is someone who will always inspire me both personally and professionally,” said Los Angeles-based stylist Cristina Ehrlich. “I always addressed her ‘Lady LS’ because for me, L’Wren was the chicest woman I’ve ever known and I felt she deserved a title.”

With her leggy physique and raven hair, Scott had a striking appearance. “I always thought she was the actual celebrity,” said Julie Gilhart, a fashion consultant and former fashion director of Barneys New York. “L’Wren was so gorgeous in person and in heart.”

Laura “Luann” Bambrough was adopted by Mormon parents and raised in Roy, Utah. Her fascination with fashion began when, at age 12 and already 6 feet tall, she began scouring local thrift stores for vintage clothing that she could rework at her sewing machine to fit her unusual proportions.

In her teens, she was discovered by photographer Bruce Weber while he was shooting an ad campaign in Utah. She changed her name to L’Wren Scott and moved to Paris, where she modeled for Chanel and is said to have inspired many of designer Thierry Mugler’s creations.

She came to Los Angeles in the 1990s, where she worked on commercials, music videos and fashion shoots for publications such as Vogue and Vanity Fair. She also was photographer Herb Ritts’ creative stylist.

As the first style director for the Academy Awards, Scott also designed red-carpet gowns for Kidman, Sarah Jessica Parker, Penelope Cruz, Rene Zellweger and others.

She launched her clothing collection in 2006, selling it at Barneys New York, Maxfield and other high-end stores. In December 2013, she brought her fiercely feminine aesthetic to the masses with a collection for Banana Republic.

She met Jagger on a shoot in 2001. He was a fixture at the intimate lunches she hosted to show her collections during New York Fashion Week and premiered two songs at her 2008 show.

In February, the showing of her fall 2014 collection was canceled because of production delays.

booth.moore@latimes.com