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THE founder of saucy underwear brand Agent Provocateur found his business partner hanging in his Finsbury flat hours after the pair had an argument about money.
Joe Corre – the son of fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and former Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McClaren – found record producer Luca Mainardi suspended from the third floor bannister of his Amwell Street flat on September 17.
St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday how the pair, who played in Electro band Dirty Stop Out with former Clash guitarist Mick Jones, were returning from the recording studio when a “heated discussion” broke out between them.
Mr Mainardi was angry over Mr Corre’s decision to leave Agent Provocateur, which would lead to the loss of a £3,000-a-month retainer for the Italian-born producer.
Mr Corre told the inquest: “He had a retainer for producing ambient music for Agent Provocateur but as a result of my leaving the company, he was no longer going to continue with this role.
“He couldn’t seem to get it out of his head. I tried to tell him to stop worrying about the retainer as he was due a large settlement.
“I was very tired and said I couldn’t talk about it any more but I would see him tomorrow.”
Mr Corre, who owned the Finsbury flat where Mr Mainardi lived, dropped his friend off at around midnight before going home. He was awoken by the noise of a text message to his mobile phone at 5.44am the next morning, but went back to sleep without reading it. When he got up three hours later, he found a disturbing message from Mr Mainardi.
It read: “I’ve been thinking all night about what you said. I’ve never been hurt like this in my life. I’m going back to Italy or anyway I’m out of here. The cause is finished.”
Mr Corre told the inquest: “I was trying to call Luca to say ‘don’t be so dramatic and I’ll come and see you in the afternoon, we’ll sort something out.’ He wasn’t answering so I assumed he was asleep.
“The message was out of character and pretty dramatic.”
But when Mr Corre went to the flat later that afternoon he found his friend hanging from rope kept from a pirate themed Agent Provocateur photo shoot to decorate the flat.
In the shoot Mr Mainardi was photographed posing with noose around his neck.
Recording a verdict of misadventure, Coroner Andrew Reid said: “The final text seems to imply a reference to the discussions they had had the night before.
“Although Mr Mainardi appears to have harmed himself, I can’t be sure he intended to commit suicide. The communication in this case means I cannot rule out the possibility that he was drawing attention to himself in a melodramatic manner.”
Speaking outside the court, Mr Corre said he agreed with the verdict.
He said: “I think it was a mistake, a moment of madness, and there’s nothing that can be done about it.
“He was a very talented and creative person. I miss my friend.”
JOSIE HINTON