He was under huge pressure from work and "overwhelmed with grief" at the loss of his mother, the court heard.

The 40-year-old's body was found at his London flat on 11 February - the eve of his mother Joyce's funeral.

"The balance of his mind was disturbed," said coroner Dr Paul Knapman, recording a suicide verdict.

Westminster Coroner's Court heard that McQueen had a history of depression, anxiety and insomnia, had attempted suicide before and researched killing himself on the internet prior to his death.

McQueen's psychiatrist, Dr Stephen Pereira, told the inquest that the leading designer was diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder.

He said: "He certainly felt very pressured by his work, but it was a double-edged sword.

"He felt it was the only area of his life where he felt he had achieved something.

"Usually after a show he felt a huge come-down. He felt isolated, it gave him a huge low."

Added to this was the distress he felt after losing his mother, said coroner's officer Lynda Martindill.