DAY OF DISAPPOINTMENTS & ILLUSIONS:
After attending a brief Open Day event at Sotheby's prestigious Institute of Art (near Birkbeck, no doubt) I left to meet my friends as planned. But of course there was the drinks reception after the event where people entered the room and before you knew it had created little cliques already. I was left wondering who to talk to. I was never good at these things, with exceptional moments. I get nervous and feel instantly lost for words and confidence. And yet I got the attention of the professor I wanted to speak to and before you knew it there was a crowd of us around him so that was good. Once all our questions had been answered the crowd dispersed and I made my way to the cafe to meet Agatha, Ali and possibly Ruben and Sarah. Sarah never showed - even I'm getting disappointed by her lack of presence within the past few years, but at least she said she MAY be able to make it. But that's always the problem with her and we're all annoyed by it now. In the end, I waited 45 minutes in a cafe on my lonesome. It turns out that Agatha's phone was not working properly so couldn't use it to contact me or answer my calls. We eventually met though, so that was a relief. Ali said he'd be free, but actually wasn't. He said he only had 20 minutes. I was angry because he never said anything at all on the day and I told him so. Meanwhile, Ruben said he'd be with him, but he left his phone on silent. My luck. *rollseyes* In the end, neither of them joined Agatha and I for dinner, but we did manage to meet them for a brief chat. So it was just us two girls, but that was fine with us and I paid for dinner just like I promised I would. :) I just wish they told me sooner. Boy, was I pissed-off today.
My moment of illusion came while I was waiting in the aforementioned cafe. As I sipped my drink I noticed a chubby young British kid sitting on his own and only three seats away from me on my left. He must've been in his early twenties or late teens. Whenever he got up to reach for something in his rucksack (seated on another chair) I could almost see his bum in his low slung denim jeans. I couldn't stop glancing over at him discreetly. Why? Because he reminded me a lot of McQueen. At least, for a moment or two he did. It made me smile wondering whether this kid could be his reincarnation (if I believed in that stuff). I wondered what he was reading. If only I saw him sketching instead of reading, like McQueen would do. I wondered if his name was... Lee. I wondered if I should've tried to say 'hello'. I wondered if I had gone totally insane! McQueen was a beautiful illustrator. It's so funny knowing that a man who, some would say, once looked like an East End London chubby boy with 'football hooligan' written all over, could in fact be a shy yet cheeky person with such exquisite artistry. Never judge a book by its cover - he was proof of that. He had strong belief in his own abilities and rightly so! I could talk about him all day every day. Suddenly I only hear silence in the world. I was still hoping, as one writer similarly said, that he would jump out at his forthcoming show in Paris and say 'SURPRISE!' I'd be too happy to see him to be at all angry. But it wasn't to be and his show is now actually being delivered as an 'invite-only' private presentation of sorts. Not what McQueen or his fans would want, I don't think. We want a homage to him where the audience can give a standing ovation and a flag would fly over the runway stating 'Long live McQueen!' I could happily wear his clothes alone for the rest of my life. I can't believe he's gone. It's like some sick joke. I'm glad I can talk to Karen about it - she was rather shocked too. It has now been confirmed that the show must go on - somehow someway his label will live on. I hope it continues with the same ingenuity that he always brought to the masses. Otherwise, they might as well 'pack-up shop' right now. I hope someone within his talented design team can take the reins. I can't believe it's already been a week since his death....
Here is a 3-page homage to the man http://www.net-a-porter.com/magazine#/27/30 and the only video interview I've seen him do (it makes me cry, and then smile, and then cry again, and then smile again....): http://alexandermcqueenlive.showstudio.com/ (along with the last women's wear show he ever did.) Enjoy the interview - it's so insightful and you see his character. I never knew him but I wish I did. I just wanted to give him a big cuddle. I think the video interview can possibly be seen as a form of [visual] art itself. :) Just look at his various facial expressions, his pauses, his thoughtful answers and the amusing moments too.