Designer famed for bold style and club culture influence dies surrounded by loved ones
Pam Hogg, the influential fashion designer whose work shaped the visual identity of the 1980s club scene and inspired generations of performers, has died at the age of sixty six. Her family announced her death, saying she spent her final days surrounded by close friends and relatives who cared for her with unwavering devotion. They expressed their gratitude to staff at St Joseph’s hospice in Hackney, where she received support in her final moments.
Hogg became known for designs that fused fashion with the energy of live music and nightlife. Her creations, often daring in colour and form, appeared on some of the most recognisable performers of recent decades. Rihanna, Kate Moss and Debbie Harry were among the many who wore her work, while Kylie Minogue and Björk also embraced her distinctive approach. Her designs carried a futuristic confidence that made them instantly recognisable on stage and at events.
Born in Paisley near Glasgow, Pam Hogg showed an early interest in making clothes and began creating garments as a child. She studied painting and printed textiles at the Glasgow School of Art before moving to London to continue her education at the Royal College of Art. The London club scene proved pivotal in her development. She started out by creating bold outfits that would help her gain entry to Steve Strange’s Blitz club, a key space for performance, music and emerging fashion. Her presence in that environment led her onto the catwalk in 1981.
By the end of the decade her reputation had reached a high point. In 1989, i D magazine named her as one of the most consistently inventive British fashion designers and placed her in a lineage alongside Vivienne Westwood. The magazine highlighted her ability to reflect the energy of the era and noted that she embodied the spirit of a hundred percent party girl. Her clothes became staples for figures such as Paula Yates, Debbie Harry and Siouxsie Sioux, who embraced her bold style.
Hogg developed a public persona as memorable as her clothes. Her blond hair, quiff, red lipstick and dramatic eyeliner became signatures. She appeared on the cover of i D in 1989 and made an appearance on the Wogan Show in 1990. She later recalled that she attended the programme after her birthday party and admitted she was not at her sharpest. Terry Wogan commented on the appearance of her black PVC leggings, prompting her to sit on his lap in a moment she described with humour years later.
As fashion moved towards minimalism in the 1990s, Hogg shifted her focus to performance. She became the lead singer of the band Doll and took to the stage with the same fearless attitude that defined her earlier work. She continued creating outfits that suited her energetic presence and maintained her connections with friends and collaborators in the music world. She opened for artists including Blondie and the Raincoats during this period.
Hogg often reflected on her designs with a sense of pride and nostalgia. In a 2017 interview with Gentlewoman magazine she spoke about a Ziggy Stardust inspired piece she had created. She said she brought it to Kate Moss for a Bowie themed birthday celebration at Moss’s home in the Cotswolds. According to Hogg, Moss immediately changed into the outfit after seeing it, an act that Hogg described as deeply gratifying.
Her death marks the loss of a designer who crossed boundaries with ease. Hogg linked fashion, performance and individuality in a way that spoke to generations and helped define the visual culture of her time.