The UK's fashion and arts world is mourning the loss of one of its most fiercely independent and groundbreaking figures. Pamela 'Pam' Hogg, the Scottish designer and artist renowned for her punk spirit and Warholian use of colour, has died at the age of 66. Her death marks the end of an era for a creator who defiantly blurred the lines between fashion, art, and music.
A Life Forged in Paisley and Forged in London Clubs
Born in Paisley, Hogg's creative journey began in a home filled with fabric and a spirit of individuality. "My father taught me to be unafraid to be different," she once said. Her formal training came at the Glasgow School of Art, which she described as a revelation. However, it was the move to London and the city's explosive club scene that truly defined her path.
The legendary Blitz club, with its famously outrageous door policy, became the real catalyst. "London club life seized my imagination. That's when I started designing with a purpose," Hogg recalled. "I may not have chosen fashion … but fashion had chosen me." By the mid-1980s, her designs were stocked in Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and prestigious boutiques across Paris, Milan, Rome, and Tokyo.
From Fashion Stardom to Rock 'n' Roll Rebellion
Hogg's meteoric rise culminated in an iconic i-D magazine cover in 1989 and her own Soho boutique. She dressed a who's who of music icons, including Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, Björk, and Kylie Minogue. A 1990 appearance on Terry Wogan's show signalled her move from cult status to the mainstream.
Yet, true to her punk roots, she stepped away at the height of her fame. She formed the band Doll in the 1990s, trading catwalks for tour buses. It was during this era that author Irvine Welsh became a close friend. "I spent the 90s with Pam – clubbing and partying in the way those times demanded," Welsh writes. "What I saw was a truly groundbreaking artist, and a life marked by independence, courage and kindness."
An Uncompromising Legacy of Art and Activism
Hogg's independent streak meant she often self-funded shows to retain total creative control, working tirelessly in her Hackney workshop. Her influence extended back into fine art, with her work featured in the 2006 exhibition Switch on the Power alongside Yoko Ono and Andy Warhol.
A major comeback was cemented when Kylie Minogue wore her metal-studded catsuit in 2010. She continued to innovate throughout the 2010s, designing Brit Award statuettes and creating a large-scale print, Paisley Poodle, for her hometown museum.
Her final exhibition, Of Gods and Monsters in 2024, was hailed as a profound political statement. That same year, she received the Icon award for services to fashion and philanthropy, dedicating it to highlighting the struggles of children globally. Deeply affected by the conflict in Palestine, she used her platform for activism even as her own health declined.
Pam Hogg's life was a vivid tapestry of creativity and resistance. As Irvine Welsh poignantly noted by her hospice bedside, "Hoggy, you left absolutely nothing on the table." Her legacy as a punk pioneer, a gifted colourist, and a fiercely kind spirit endures.
