McQueen Is Dead: Long Live McQueen
Yesterday, I was completely gutted to hear of (Lee) Alexander McQueen's death. He was only 40 years old. Only 40 years old, and yet he left a behind a legacy of re-defining and expanding our narrow notions of what is beautiful, and where it could be found. His creations proved, time and time again, that fashion is art, and that fashion is worthwhile. Many people credit McQueen as the designer who inspired that breakthrough, and who initially drew them into fashion. His creations were never merely snippets of fabric or presented for empty shock value, they were masterpieces, works of art, ideas, visions, thoughts, reactions, stories and concepts. He was a true visionary, who often explored the worlds of the ethereal and the macabre, with a penchant for historical, royal, gothic and futuristic themes.
McQueen expertly navigated tradition and innovation. He was known for his meticulous tailoring (a skill that currently seems to be on the decline), and his clothes were a celebration of the male and female form. He often wore his family's tartan, and wool, tartan, lace and houndstooth were popular fabrics with him. While working on Savile Row in the early '90s, he allegedly embroidered curse words in the linings of Prince Charles' suits ("I am a c*nt," to be exact), and his cheeky (er, literally) collection featuring "bumster" trousers in the mid-90s earned him notoriety and a the reputation as an "enfant terrible." A completely self-made man, McQueen hailed from London's East End, and was the son of a cab driver. He developed a strong mentor relationship with Isabella Blow, who plucked him out of obscurity, and remained very close with his mother. Despite his rising success, Alexander McQueen's sense of humour, kindness, and loyalty remained firmly intact. When Kate Moss found herself wrapped up in a drug scandal, and many other designers (including those Moss helped represent) were tripping over each other in efforts to disassociate themselves, McQueen publicly stood by his friend. He also was a champion of models (and of all women) with unconventional looks, and was especially fond of Erin O'Connor and Karen Elson- models who carved their careers out of being outsiders, "freaks." (Erin is the model in the left-hand side of the second photo.)
Although the fashion industry is often mired in scandal and frivolity, McQueen's masterpieces were powerful reminders of the power and potential of fashion. They encourage us to find beauty in the most unlikely of subjects, including ourselves. This visionary inspired us to imagine the world for what it could be. The world is a slightly less beautiful place without him.
(All pictures from hautemacabre.com)