Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen at his Fall 2009 collection
Born	Lee Alexander McQueen 17 March 1969(1969-03-17) Lewisham, London, UK
Died	11 February 2010(2010-02-11) (aged 40)[1] Mayfair, London, UK
Residence	Mayfair, London
Nationality	British
Education	Central Saint Martins
Labels	Alexander McQueen, McQ
Awards	British Fashion Designer of the Year Commander of the Order of the British Empire Council of Fashion Designers of America International Designer of the Year 2003
Parents	Ronald McQueen Joyce McQueen (deceased 1934-2010)

Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE (17 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was a British fashion designer known for his unconventional designs and shock tactics.^[2] McQueen worked as the head designer at Givenchy for five years before founding the Alexander McQueen and McQ labels. McQueen's dramatic designs, worn by celebrities including David Bowie, Björk, Lady Gaga and Rihanna, met with critical acclaim and earned him the British Designer of the Year award four times.

Early life and education

Born on 17 March 1969 in Lewisham, London, to Scottish^[3] taxi driver Ronald^[4] and social science teacher Joyce, McQueen was the youngest of six children.^[5][6] He grew up in a council flat^[7] in a tower block in Stratford.^[8] He started making dresses for his three sisters at a young age and announced his intention to become a fashion designer.^[9]

McQueen attended Rokeby School and left aged 16 in 1985 with one O-level in art,^[5] going on to serve an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, before joining Gieves & Hawkes and, later, the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans.^[10] The skills he learned as an apprentice on Savile Row helped earn him a reputation in the fashion world as an expert in creating an impeccably tailored look. ^[11]

Career

While on Savile Row, McQueen's clients included Mikhail Gorbachev and Prince Charles; McQueen recounted in an interview that he once sewed 'I am a cunt' into the lining of a jacket he was working on for Prince Charles.^[12][13] At the age of 20, he spent a period of time working for Koji Tatsuno before travelling to Milan, Italy and working for Romeo Gigli.^[9]

McQueen returned to London in 1994 and applied to Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, to work as a pattern cutter tutor. Because of the strength of his portfolio he was persuaded by the Head of the Masters course to enroll in the course as a student.^[9] He received his masters degree in fashion design and his graduation collection was bought in its entirety by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow, who was said to have persuaded McQueen to become known as Alexander (his middle name) when he subsequently launched his fashion career.^[6][9]

Icelandic singer Björk sought McQueen's work for the cover of her album Homogenic in 1997.^[14] McQueen also directed the music video for her song "Alarm Call" from the same album.

Camilla Belle in a 2009 dress by Alexander McQueen, listed among "100 Best Dresses of the Decade" by InStyle Magazine.^[15]

McQueen's early runway collections developed his reputation for controversy and shock tactics (earning the title "l'enfant terrible" and "the hooligan of English fashion"), with trousers aptly named "bumsters" and a collection entitled "Highland Rape".^[5][16][17] McQueen was known for his lavish, unconventional, runway shows, such as a recreation of a shipwreck for his spring 2003 collection, spring 2005's human chess game and his fall 2006 show, "Widows of Culloden", which featured a life-sized hologram of supermodel Kate Moss dressed in yards of rippling fabric.^[18]

McQueen's "bumsters" spawned a trend in low rise jeans; on their debut they attracted many comments and debate.^[11] Michael Oliveira-Salac, the director of Blow PR and a friend of McQueen's said that "The bumster for me is what defined McQueen."^[11] McQueen also became known for using skulls in his designs. A scarf bearing the motif became a celebrity must have and was copied around the world.^[11]

McQueen has been credited with bringing drama and extravagance to the catwalk.^[11] He used new technology and innovation to add a different twist to his shows and often shocked and surprised audiences. The silhouettes that he created have been credited for adding a sense of fantasy and rebellion to fashion.^[11] McQueen became one of the first designers to use Indian models in London.^[11]

McQueen also designed a range of dresses under the name of "manta", priced at around £2800. The line, named after the manta ray, was inspired by a holiday McQueen took in the Maldives in 2009. The designs have been worn by various models and celebrities, including Lily Cole.^[19]

Givenchy appointment

The president of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, caused a stir when he appointed McQueen head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano.^[9] Upon arrival at Givenchy, McQueen insulted the founder by calling him "irrelevant". His first couture collection with Givenchy was unsuccessful, with even McQueen telling Vogue in October 1997 that the collection was "crap". McQueen toned down his designs at Givenchy, but continued to indulge his rebellious streak, causing controversy in autumn 1998 with a show which included car-robots spraying paint over white cotton dresses and double amputee model Aimee Mullins striding down the catwalk on intricately carved wooden legs.^[9][17] McQueen stayed with Givenchy until March 2001, when the contract he said was "constraining his creativity" ended.^[9]

Accomplishments

Some of McQueen's accomplishments included being one of the youngest designers to achieve the title "British Designer of the Year", which he won four times between 1996 and 2003;^[10] he was also awarded the CBE and named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003.^[20]

December 2000 saw a new partnership for McQueen, with the Gucci Group acquiring 51% of his company and McQueen serving as Creative Director.^[5] Plans for expansion included the opening of stores in London, Milan and New York, and the launch of his perfumes Kingdom and, most recently, My Queen. In 2005, McQueen collaborated with Puma to create a special line of trainers for the shoe brand.^[21] In 2006 he launched McQ, a younger, more renegade lower priced line for men and women.

McQueen became the first designer to participate in MAC's promotion of cosmetic releases created by fashion designers. The collection, McQueen, was released on 11 October 2007 and reflected the looks used on the Autumn/Winter McQueen catwalk. The inspiration for the collection was the Elizabeth Taylor movie Cleopatra, and thus the models sported intense blue, green, and teal eyes with strong black liner extended Egyptian-style. McQueen handpicked the makeup.

Company

By the end of 2007, Alexander McQueen had boutiques in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan and Las Vegas. Celebrity patrons, including Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rihanna, have frequently been spotted wearing Alexander McQueen clothing to events.^[22] Björk and Lady Gaga have often incorporated Alexander McQueen pieces in their music videos.^[23]

Personal life

McQueen was openly gay, and said he realised his sexual orientation when very young.^[24] He told his family when he was 18 and, after a rocky period, they accepted his sexuality.^[5] He described coming out at a young age by saying, "I was sure of myself and my sexuality and I've got nothing to hide. I went straight from my mother's womb onto the gay parade".^[25]

In the summer of 2000, McQueen unofficially married his partner George Forsyth, a documentary filmmaker, on a yacht in Ibiza.^[26] The relationship ended a year later and McQueen and Forsyth formed a close friendship.^[27]

McQueen received press attention after the May 2007 suicide of Isabella Blow. Rumours were published that there was a rift between McQueen and Blow at the time of her death, focusing on McQueen's under-appreciation of Blow.^[28] In response to these rumours, McQueen told an interviewer:^[18]

McQueen was an accomplished scuba diver and used his passion as a source of inspiration in his designs, including Spring 2010's "Plato's Atlantis." Much of his diving was done around the Maldives.^[29]

Death

McQueen's death was announced on the afternoon of 11 February 2010. He was found hanged that morning in his wardrobe^[30] by his housekeeper at his home on Green Street, London W1. Paramedics were called and they pronounced him dead at the scene.^[1]

McQueen died days before London Fashion Week, though he was not scheduled to show,^[31] and nine days after the death of his mother, Joyce, 75, from cancer.

McQueen left a note saying "Look after my dogs, sorry, I love you, Lee.".^[32] The Metropolitan Police stated that the death was not suspicious, but did not confirm that the death was a suicide.^[33] On 17 February 2010, Westminster Coroner's Court was told that a post-mortem examination found that McQueen's death was due to asphyxiation and hanging. The inquest was adjourned until 28 April 2010, where McQueen's death was officially recorded as suicide.^[34][35] McQueen, who had been diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder took an overdose prior to hanging himself. He had taken drug overdoses in May and July 2009.^[36]

On 3 February 2010, he wrote on his Twitter page that his mother had died the day before, adding: "RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx." Four days later he wrote that he had an "awful week" but said "friends have been great", adding: "now i have to some how pull myself together".^[38] His mother's funeral took place on 12 February 2010.^[39]

McQueen is survived by his father, three sisters, and two brothers.^[40]

On 18 February 2010, Robert Polet, the president and chief executive of the Gucci Group, announced that the Alexander McQueen business would carry on without its founder and creative director.^[41] He also added that a McQueen collection would be presented during Paris Fashion Week.^[41]

On February 16, 2010, pop musician Lady Gaga performed an acoustic version of her pop hit Telephone and segued into Dance In The Dark at the 2010 Brit Awards. During the performance Lady Gaga said "this is for Alexander McQueen." She also commemorated McQueen after accepting her award for Best International Artist, Best International Female and Best International Album.

Various other musicians, who were friends and collaborators with McQueen, commentated on his death, including Kanye West, Courtney Love, and Katy Perry.^[42]

McQueen's funeral took place on 25 February 2010 at St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, West London.^[43]

In March 2010, a visual tribute to McQueen and his "manta" design was organised featuring, inter alia, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Annabelle Neilson.^[19]

Following McQueen's death, controversy was sparked by Selfridges department store in London when they unveiled a window display showing one of his designs being hung from the gallows.^[44]

References

External links

• Alexander McQueen's home page
• Alexander McQueen's McQ home page
• Alexander McQueen's biography
• Alexander McQueen – Daily Telegraph obituary