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Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Stella McCartney, Sam Taylor-Wood and Daphne Guinness were among the black-clad mourners to arrive at St Paul’s Church in Knightbridge, west London, to celebrate the life of the man who, his friends said, made “all he touched beautiful”.

His father Ronald was joined by his five children at the service – they are also mourning McQueen’s mother, who died at the beginning of the month.

The funeral was the culmination of a series of tributes to the 40-year-old Eastender – whose real name was Lee – which included a minute’s silence at London fashion week and a uncharasterically sombre song by Lady GaGa at the Brit awards.

Although a Lady GaGa-inspired veil arrived at the funeral on the head of Daphne Guinness, the singer did not, instead posting a picture of her hugging her “hero” McQueen on her Twitter page.

McQueen’s coffin, laden with pink, white and red roses spelling out “Lee”, was carried out by four pallbearers and loaded into a waiting hearse which drove off followed by two black stretch Jaguars carrying his family.

Mourners spilled out of the church openly sobbing and hugging each other.

McQueen was discovered hanged in a wardrobe at his £2 million Mayfair home by his cleaner on the eve of his mother’s funeral on February 11.

An inquest into his death was told that he left a suicide note for his loved ones, which is believed to have been found at the scene.

Friends said he had locked himself away and refused to get out of bed after his mother Joyce, to whom he was extremely close, died on February 2.

A larger memorial service open to McQueen’s fans is expected to take place later this year, although no date or venue has been set.

“We are focusing right now on the Paris Fashion show, which takes place on March 9,” a spokesman for McQueen’s label said.

McQueen, who was educated at Central Saint Martins College, was a four-time winner of the British Designer of the Year award and was made a CBE in 2003.