Sydney stylist and socialite Jo Ferguson has died at the age of 46 after a long illness.
Shortly after the news broke on Wednesday evening, publicist and Sweaty Betty PR founder Roxy Jacenko shared her deepest condolences on Instagram.
‘RIP to one of the best who supported us [Sweaty Betty] from the day we opened our doors 16 years ago,’ she wrote.
Scroll down for video
‘You were so special and you will be missed’: Roxy Jacenko leads celebrity tributes for stylist and socialite Jo Ferguson after she died tragically aged 46 from suspected liver failure
Tragic: Sydney stylist and socialite Jo Ferguson died at the age of 46 after a long illness on Wednesday. Pictured on December 15, 2010 in Sydney
Roxy reflected on her friendship with Jo by sharing a selection of throwback photos with the late socialite at events they’d attended together over the years.
‘Jo you were so special and you will be missed. Life is short. Take care all,’ Roxy said.
Fashion journalist Melissa Hoyer also shared her shock at the devastating news on Twitter, writing: ‘May Jo rest in peace.’
‘RIP to one of the best’: Roxy reflected on her friendship with Jo by sharing a selection of throwback photos with the late socialite at events they’d attended together over the years
It’s likely tributes will flow in for Jo as people wake to the news, with Australian TV personalities Lisa Wilkinson, Sandra Sully, Johdi Meares and Kerri-Anne Kennerley among the high-profile friends of the late stylist.
Jo was also known to have been close with models Miranda Kerr and Kristie Hinze, INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly, and former Bachelorette Sophie Monk.
Her international celebrity clientele also included the likes of Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and Duffy.
Devastated: Jo’s brother, Scott, told The Daily Telegraph, ‘Sadly my inspirational sister Jo passed away defiantly last night, just after midnight.’ Jo is pictured on December 28, 2008
Famous friends: Jo is pictured with model Kristy Hinze on December 14, 2008. Jo was a bridesmaid at Kristy’s wedding to American tech billionaire Jim Clark in 2009
Sydney social scene: Jo, who dated television presenter Tom Williams for a number of years, had moved back to Adelaide to be with her family. Pictured in April 2008 from left to right: Jo, David Gyngell, Tom and Kylie Spear
The one-time best friend of supermodel Kristy Hinze passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning from suspected liver and kidney failure.
Jo’s brother, Scott, said he was devastated by the loss of his ‘inspirational’ sister.
‘Sadly my inspirational sister Jo passed away defiantly last night, just after midnight,’ Scott told The Daily Telegraph late Wednesday evening.
‘I’d hate for her life to simply slip past now as there were deeper issues that should be addressed, if only to help people in similar situations and prevent others from premature death.’
Social scene: Jo is pictured with INXS guitarist Kirk Pengilly on November 14, 2007
Declining health: Jo died in the early hours of Wednesday morning from liver and kidney failure. Pictured with Miranda Kerr on September 13, 2007 in Sydney
Medical issues: Jo shared this photo from her hospital bed to Facebook on February 25
Last few weeks: Jo was placed on life support last month, only to be discharged and then readmitted. Pictured on June 20, 2007 in Sydney
Publicist Adam Worling also paid tribute, describing his friend as ‘a darling of the fashion world’.
Though, while she was obviously in a lot of pain these past few years, I hope we all remember how she used to light up a room with that smile. Someone who left us way too early,’ he said.
In January, it was reported Jo was suffering blood poisoning after a 2016 accident in which she fell down 27 stairs and lost four litres of blood.
She was found by a friend at the time after being unconscious for five hours, and required three blood transfusions and 38 stitches to the head.
Readmitted: After being discharged, Jo was readmitted to hospital on March 14
‘Wait until you are really sick’: Jo uploaded this Facebook post on March 19
Ordeal: A subsequent Facebook post showing her back in hospital was captioned, ‘Never ending… now draining with a tube’
Jo was placed on life support last month, only to be discharged and then readmitted.
Following her discharge from hospital, Jo wrote on Facebook: ‘After being placed on life support a week ago how the body reacts is amazing.
A subsequent Facebook post showing her back in hospital was captioned: ‘Never ending… now draining with a tube.’
Jo dated television presenter Tom Williams for a number of years before he married fashion designer Rachel Gilbert.
She was also linked to millionaire car dealer Neville Crichton.
She mixed with Sydney’s fashion elite and was a bridesmaid at Australian model Kristy Hinze’s wedding to American tech billionaire Jim Clark in 2009.
In recent years, Jo had moved back to Adelaide to be closer to her family. She is survived by her mother, Patricia, and brother, Scott.
RIP: Jo had moved back to Adelaide to be closer to her family. She is survived by her mother, Patricia, and brother, Scott. Pictured in November 2007