Mick Jagger of the The Rolling Stones, right, poses for photographers with his partner former U.S. model L'Wren Scott as they arrive for the UK premiere of the film 'Shine A Light' at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, London, Wednesday April 2, 2008MATT DUNHAM/The Associated Press
Even in death, L'Wren Scott could not escape being referred to as "Mick Jagger's girlfriend."
News that the successful fashion designer was found dead at her Manhattan apartment on Monday has shocked the fashion world and angered Twitter users, with media reports making primary reference to her as the date-mate of The Rolling Stones frontman.
Scott, 47, and Jagger, 70, had been romantically involved since 2001.
In recent years, Scott had come into her own as a prominent fashion designer whose frocks were worn by such high-profile clients as Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Penelope Cruz and Christina Hendricks.
But according to many Twitter users, the tragedy is already being made worse by media outlets uniformly using the phrase "Mick Jagger's girlfriend" in their coverage of Scott's death.
With rare exception, every media organization reporting Scott's untimely death (including this one, in a different turn of phrase) employed Jagger's name in the headline. Even the venerable Los Angeles Times went that route with their headline: "L'Wren Scott, designer and girlfriend of Mick Jagger, found dead."
Some others:
BBC: Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott found dead
Huffington Post: Mick Jagger's Girlfriend, L'Wren Scott, Dead: Designer Found Hanging In Apartment
ABC News: Mick Jagger' Girlfriend, L'Wren Scott, Found Dead in NYC
New York Daily News: L'Wren Scott dead at 47: Fashion designer, model and Mick Jagger girlfriend found hanged
Toronto Sun: Mick Jagger's girlfriend found dead
Rolling Stone: Mick Jagger's Girlfriend L'Wren Scott Found Dead in New York Apartment
Not surprisingly, many of the tweets criticizing the media's single-minded coverage of Scott's death came from female Twitter users.
Shortly after hearing the news, New York entertainment publicist Amy Pfister (@amy_pfister) took Rolling Stone magazine to task for using the Jagger descriptor with her tweet, "That's headline/tweet you've got Rolling Stone!? L'Wren Scott was an accomplished designer. Upon her tragic death, she's someone's girlfriend."
Which was more or less the same opinion expressed in this tweet from Washington journalist Jenny Rogers (@jennyrogersDC): "Cannot believe news orgs are referring to L'Wren Scott as 'Mick Jagger's girlfriend' in their headlines. She was a well-known designer and model."
Or this tweet from Kim Bellware (@bellwak): "L'Wren scott was an acclaimed fashion designer. That she was Mick Jagger's girlfriend shouldn't be the lede in her obit."
From Abbie Ruzicka (@AbbieRuzicka): "Before L'Wren Scott was known as 'Mick Jagger's girlfriend,' she was known as a designer with a pretty damn successful career."
Or this poignant observation from Alex Alvarez (@soalexgoes): "This story is about her. And she was a person who had accomplished much in life. In this case, Mick Jagger is 'L'Wren Scott's boyfriend'."
And although it isn't likely to make any aggrieved parties feel better, the death of Scott has prompted at least one classy response, in the form of a straightforward tweet from American fashion designer Marc Jacobs (@MarcJacobsIntl): "Rest in peace, L'Wren Scott. You'll forever be missed."
Even Mr. Jagger would undoubtedly approve.