Alexander McQueen 1969-2010

Alexander McQueen

(1969-2010)

Biography

Lee Alexander McQueen was born in 1969, in a town by the name of Lewisham in London.  As a child, being the son of a taxi driver with low income, McQueen, his parents and his five other siblings lived in public housing. Getting an early start in fashion, McQueen recalls drawing dresses since age three and even sewing and making clothes for his sisters when his family was struggling financially. 

By age 16, McQueen dropped out of school to go work at Savile Row Tailors, and later Gieves and Hawke. After his years of working in tailoring, McQueen began to work for Angels, creating costumes and mastering new cutting techiniques which would later be incorporated in his most famous designs. 

Knowing he had been gay since age 8, Alexander finally comes out openly to his family at age 18, referring to himself as the pink sheep of the family.

By 1990, at age 21, McQueen attains a job at a school to teach a course in pattern-cutting but instead is offered a spot as a student in the program. Upon graduating, McQueen shows his first collection, Jack the Ripper Stalks his Victim, which is bought by Isabella Blow.

In 1995, his collection Highland Rape is launched, bringing much controversy to the fashion world. Many people had misinterpreted this collection thinking that it was honoring the victimization of women, but in reality McQueens had given the name as a metaphor relating to the "rape" of Scotland by England. 

In 1997, McQueen is asked by singer, Bjork, to designed the cover of her upcoming album, which he did. McQueen would later also design for pop singer Lady Gaga as well. The same year, McQueen launches his first collection with Givenchy, that of which he names "Crap," stirring up just a bit more controversy once again.

In 2000, McQueen shows his Voss Collection, which had a rather dark side showing the models head wrapped in bandages, creating the appearance of an insane asylum. Within a year after working with Givenchy for about 3 years, McQueen leaves Givenchy due to his limitations on creative freedom. 

In 2003, McQueen launches his first fragrance, Kingdom, and two years later introduces the second, My Queen. 

Isabella Blow, one of McQueen greatest supporters and dearest friends since the beginning of his career, commits suicide in 2007 leaving McQueen in despair. The artist dedicates his 2008 spring collection to her friendship.

In 2009, McQueen shows Plato's Atlantis, one of my absolute favorite McQueencollection, and unfortunately his last. 

After almost 20 short years of his beautiful and exquisite designs, McQueen commits suicide in February 2010 after his mothers death, leaving many friends and admirers of his work in devastation.

Critical Analysis

Bringing sharp, dark, and theatrical designs, Alexander McQueen set the bar extremely high for the new comers. In my opinion, I do not believe that McQueen's work reflects the zeitgeist of our time because simply he does not design for the period. His work is often mostly inspired by deep emotions and things that he has lived either in his dreams or in his past. I feel that this is what makes McQueen so iconic. He had a way of making the audience not only admire and appreciate his art, but to impose a certain emotion in their souls.


It is impossible to compare McQueen to any other designers because his pieces came from inspirations much deeper than what met the eye. I feel that McQueen had such a unique way, not only of creating a garment alone, but just in the way that he presented his designs. Unlike anyone ever before, McQueen had a way of creating a whole fantasy world around each of his collections. Each of his collections incorporated a certain theme, often pertaining to the beauty of something so dark. 

As for his signature, I would say that McQueen loved structure. One can see that in many of his designs he creates an exaggerated hourglass silhouette, including a tiny waist and often big sharp shoulders. I feel that this might have been inspired by the victorian era, which ties back to his theme of romanticizing darkness. 

Most of his designs, I feel play a lot on the theme of melancholy, and death. I like to look at Alexander McQueen as the Edgar Allan Poe of fashion. Especially when seeing his Raven ensemble from 2009. I feel that there is a huge resemblance because they both touch a lot on the theme of death in such a romantic way.