December 4, 2017 |
I still can’t believe she’s gone. Lucy Ewing. Flat shoes, Comme trews. She never wore a scrap of make-up but her diamonds dazzled. Lucy Ewing was a woman who believed in quality, a good breakfast and the power of a perfect navy jumper. I can’t believe I’ll never again hear her say, “marvellous!” in a voice as English as Enid Blyton. Lucy Ewing, the Fashion Director of the Sunday Times and my friend and colleague for more than 15 years has gone. Too soon. She had so many more stories to tell with that unique, quirky eye of hers. Her pictures reflected who she was as a person. They combined incredible charm with cool femininity and as fashion got more and more corporate and homogenous, her pictures stood up for the beauty and power of the individual. Like all great stylists she was eccentric. Why did she decide to shoot an up-and coming actress in the Ritz with a gang of cheeky extras in gorilla costumes? No reason other than she loved the weird energy it brought to the pictures. Lucy Ewing didn’t do bland.
Her images were full of narratives and strange ticks that made you do a double take.
I loved the free spirited shots from her expansive road trips across America with Jane Mcleish Kelsey and the beautiful stories she produced with her husband Rob Wyatt, which looked like captured moments in a compelling movie. She fought hard for every shot but charm was her weapon, never aggression. When I was at The Sunday Times, I received countless emails from her persuading me in the nicest possible way and for the best possible reasons to use one picture instead of another. How could anyone say no? In our last email, we promised we’d have a cuppa when she got better – best china and all that. And so, Lucy Ewing, I raise a cup of Earl Gray and toast you in your own words. You were “Marvellous!”
A Thanksgiving Service to celebrate the lives of Lucy Ewing and Robert Wyatt will be held at 11.30 a.m. on Thursday December 7th at St Bride’s Church, Fleet St, EC4Y 8AU.
