If fashion had a headmistress, it would be Suzy Menkes complete with her iconic quiff and a pen sharper than a Louboutin stiletto. For over three decades, Suzy wasn’t just at the shows she was the voice that could make or break them. Designers adored her when she praised them, feared her when she didn’t, and the rest of us? We devoured every word.

Suzy started in London after Cambridge, eventually landing at The International Herald Tribune, where her critiques were both brilliant and brutal. She had zero time for fluff, PR spin, or “genius” collections that were anything but. Later, at Vogue International, she brought her sharp eye (and sharper words) to Condé Nast, continuing to school both readers and designers alike.

Her most prominent work? Turning runway reviews into cultural commentary. She made us think about clothes as more than fabric connecting them to politics, history, and the mood of the times.

Her legacy? She made fashion journalism matter. Suzy Menkes proved fashion isn’t just about pretty dresses it’s a conversation, and one she always led. Love her or fear her, one thing’s certain: you never wanted to be on the receiving end of a bad Menkes review.