Tennant, who shunned traditionally feminine aesthetics and sculpted an iconic and bold image rarely seen on the catwalk, died shortly before Christmas, at the age of 50.
Her family said on Friday that she had been “indisposed for some time”, describing her as a “beautiful soul”.
“We have been humbled by the outpouring of messages of sympathy and support since Stella’s death,” they said in a statement to PA Media. “She was a beautiful soul, adored by a close family and good friends, a sensitive and talented woman whose creativity, intelligence and humor touched so many.”
“Stella had been ill for some time. So it is a matter of our deepest sadness and despair that she felt unable to continue despite the love of those close to her,” added the family.
“In mourning the loss of Stella, her family renews a sincere request that respect for their privacy must continue.”
Stella Tennant at the London Fashion Awards 2019 Credit: David Fisher / Shutterstock
Tennant was one of the supermodels who represented the British fashion scene at the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.
But after her career peaked, she occasionally discussed the pace of the industry and eventually retreated to focus on her family.
“The agency didn’t really know what to do with me,” she told the fashion publication Document Journal in 2018, discussing the shift from fashion magazines to more traditional looks in the 2000s. “I thought, ‘Well, that’s not a surprise. I had my little moment, and the fashion has changed, and I’m going to move on too. ‘”
“I gave everything, all my energy and time, and now we are going to go out and have a family together,” she said.
A number of notable fashion figures mourned Tennant’s death. Designer Stella McCartney wrote: “Your soul and inner beauty have exceeded external perfection, Stella. May you ride high above all of us on the most perfect horse, eternally at peace.”
And Naomi Campbell, in an Instagram post, called Tennant “an act of class in every way”.