The Fashion Community Mourns the Passing of Influencer Tanice Elizabeth Samuels
The fashion and beauty world lost one of its brightest stars this week with the untimely passing of Tanice Elizabeth Samuels. The beloved Irish-Jamaican influencer, known for her elegantly curated Instafeed and thoughtful lifestyle content, reportedly passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, December 18th. She was believed to be in her 30s.
Devastated friends and followers have been leaving heartfelt messages on Samuels’ Instagram account, where the savvy creative first rose to prominence. With 151k followers enraptured by her effortless personal style and candid musings on life as a young mother of two, Samuels had become a fast favorite among fashion insiders and consumers alike. Her tragic death at such a vibrant, promising point in her career has come as an immense shock.
“Tanice, you will be missed greatly by so many,” wrote supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. “I always enjoyed our time together. Such a vibrant and beautiful woman. My thoughts are with your family who you always spoke of so dearly.” British singer-songwriter Vanessa White echoed the sentiment: “This is so heartbreaking!!”
But perhaps most poignant are the words of Samuels’ own inner circle. “The sadness will not lift,” wrote one close friend. “This beautiful woman who was such an incredible best friend…will be with us forever.” Another family member posted saying their “heart breaks” over the loss.
Just what caused Samuels’ sudden passing remains unclear, though she had been candid on social media about her struggles with chronic illness prior to her death. In life, the blogger was known for opening up about personal subjects in ways that resonated with her passionate following.
Samuels left behind her beloved husband, Jon Paul, and two young sons. On their now-tragically prescient final Instagram post together, the Samuels family wished followers ”happiness this festive season and beyond.” They signed off: ”All our love.”
Now, the fashion influencer community Samuels was so integral to finds itself doing what it does best in hard times: coming together in solidarity and support. Estée Laundry, The Patricia Bright, and a constellation of Samuels’ modeling, branding and blogging contemporaries have publicly offered sympathy, condolences and prayers as her family grieves.
At the still-early stages of what promised to be an ascendant career, Tanice Elizabeth Samuels demonstrated that influencers can be about more than beautiful imagery and consumption. She represented possibility: that online personas can foster real community, that public platforms can be used for intimate connection as much as envy. With grace, wisdom and vulnerability, Samuels shared not only her life but her vibrant self with the world wide web. For those struggling – as we all do – she remains an example of open-hearted living.
Though gone too soon, her legacy of empowerment through storytelling and style endures thanks to a digital footprint buoyed by love. In that sense, like her feed of elegant ensembles and thoughtful reflections, Tanice Samuels’ memory will remain perfectly curated: beautiful, nuanced and unforgettable. She will be dearly missed.
