Alexander McQueen, A Tribute

Lee Alexander McQueen. Portrait by Danny Roberts. Photo: Igor & André

We learned last week that the brilliant Lee Alexander McQueen died at the age of 40. It has since been confirmed that he hanged himself in his London apartment.

From the age of 16, when, as a Savile Row apprentice, he (reportedly) graffitied obscenities into the linings of suits intended for the Prince of Wales, McQueen has been dubbed a “rebel” within the industry. The designer never shied away from controversy, innovation and theatrics.

McQueen enrolled in Central St. Martins in 1992, and by 1994 he had captured the attention of Isabella Blow, then an stylist for UK Vogue, who purchased every piece from one of his debut collections. They remained close friends until her passing in 2007. In 1995 he showed his controversial Highland Rape collection, where his taste for theatrics and technical abilities were on display.

Blow & McQueen early in his career. Photo: Telegraph UK

Blow & McQueen shot by David LaChappelle. Photo: TFS

The Givenchy Years

In 1996 McQueen was picked up as the head designer for famed label Givenchy. He was never content with his work for the French house and exited his post in March of 2001. He had inked a deal with the Gucci group to fund his namesake line in December the year prior.

I think his early work for the label was divine (in its late 90′s aesthetic, of course) but his last few collections were lackluster. Following are some of my favorite McQueen for Givenchy moments, all courtesy of WWD.

2001

From lackluster to phenomenal, McQueen’s transition from Givenchy to his namesake label under the Gucci group was strong. His spring 2001 collection remains one of his most remembered. The audience sat around a mirrored cube that quickly revealed itself as a mental hospital. The models’ heads were bandaged and they roamed the inside of the cube, sometimes pressing their faces and arms to the glass, quietly begging for escape. The clothing ranged from utilitarian to outrageous, with several models sporting structural appendages (birds, cityscapes). When the show ended, another cube within the runway opened to reveal a rotund naked woman lounging, her face covered in a metal helmet with breathing tubes attached. Creepy, and amazing.

McQueen’s S/S 2001 RTW collection. Photos: Style.com & TFS

Angela Lindvall modeling a dress from the S/S 2001 RTW collection. US Vogue, December 2000. Shot by Mario Testino. Photo: TFS

2005

In 2004/2005 came two of my favorite McQueen collections. His S/S 2005 RTW collection is at the very top of my list. The collection itself was totally breathtaking and the theme was beyond awesome. I clearly remember flipping through WWD and stumbling upon a photograph of the models lined up with a chess board projecting onto them from the ceiling and thinking it was one of the coolest things I had ever seen. He featured early 19th century silhouettes mixed with school boy uniforms and futuristic bodysuits. It was a lot of McQueen-ness all wrapped up in a tidy game of chess. After watching the video of the collection 5 or so times, it also struck me that he sectioned off models by look. He started with the blondes in a series of menswear-inspired looks, followed by the East Asians in Little Women-esque pink dresses. The redheads came next, in white to mint green, followed by the Black/South Asian models (I believe some where actually in blackface, for shame) in yellow. The remaining “key” players were split up a bit randomly. Two dark-skinned Black models wore armor, the “knights,” including Erin O’Connor, stomped (appropriately), and the remaining outfits were sported by some of the popular models of that year (Daria, Gemma). When the models finished lining up, the lights came down and the chess game started. I highly recommend viewing both videos, it’s an amazing show.

Photos: WWD

Next came the A/W 2005 RTW collection, where Hitchcock-worthy heroines transitioned flawlessly into 60′s era French ingenues. Beautiful.

2006

McQueen A/W 2006. Photo: TFS

In 2006 McQueen took us on a wild ride. In spring the designer kept it simple, with beautifully cut black suits followed by pretty Grecian dresses. By fall he was back in Scotland, showing tartan fabrics and get-ups ideal for fox (or whatever) hunting. His fall show also ended with a hologram of Kate Moss.

Following are some of my favorite looks from McQueen’s 2006 collections.

2008

McQueen S/S 2008 RTW collection. Photo: WWD

McQueen’s 2008 collections were magical in very different ways. His spring collection was a tribute to his late friend Isabella Blow, with the requisite kooky hats supplied by Philip Treacy. The collection was strong and technically advanced, lots of 40′s tailoring with and overarching futuristic feel; very Bladerunner. His Bird of Paradise gown was an editor’s dream, witnessed by the frequency with which it popped up in March issue editorials. Treacy’s butterfly headpiece is another fashion moment that has stuck with me, it’s absolutely gorgeous.

The colorful dresses from the S/S 2008 RTW collection were a big hit with editors. March 2008, UK Vogue & Vogue Italia, shot by Mario Testino and Stefano Moro. Photos: TFS

Photo: WWD

In the fall, McQueen took an entirely different path, sourcing looks from late 18th century, specifically around colonialism (hints of South and North Asian attire). Fanciful gowns were paired with military-inspired jackets and waistcoats. It was very romantic and very English.

September 2008, US Vogue, shot by David Sims. Photos: TFS

Following are some of my favorite moments from McQueen’s 2008 collections.

2009

Shots from the A/W 2009 RTW collection. Photos: WWD

2009 proves that McQueen was, indeed, on a mad roll. He continued to get better and better. And better. In spring we got a taste of the skeletal, reptile-esque digital prints that would dominate his popular spring 2010 collection. He paired these looks with jewel-encrusted cocoon dresses and bodysuits. The models wore nude netting wrapped around their heads, their hair swirling down their faces, as if they had just emerged from the womb.

A look from the S/S 2009 RTW collection. Photo: TFS

McQueen’s close friend Annabelle Neilson in the same look from spring. Photo: TFS

Photo: WWD

Come fall, it was an entirely different affair. His A/W RTW collection was, in a word, jaw-dropping. Everything was amplified, from the models lips to their herringbone (dog bone, as he called it) prints. Models walked on a broken mirror runway around a huge pile of industrial-looking trash. The collection was almost entirely in red, white and black and one of his favorite themes, birds and feathers, was on display. Most notably on a whipped up gown worn by Karlie Kloss, which transitioned from over-sized herringbone into birds in a design worthy of Esher.

Following are some of my favorite moments from McQueen’s 2009 collections:

2010

McQueen showed only his resort and spring collections before passing away, and they were very well-received. It’s still hard to believe he’s gone, and now it seems that his label will, in fact, move forward with new talent. I don’t know how I feel about this, but I am beyond thrilled that the fall show will happen in Paris.

I will leave you with a great McQueen tribute pulled together by Net-A-Porter a few years ago. I realize that in this post I skipped over a lot of McQueen’s work, instead focusing on my favorite moments. You can read additional remembrances via the links provided at the end of the post.

• Guardian Obituary
• NYT Obituary
• Bidding Farewell to McQueen, via The Business of Fashion
• The Fashion World Remembers McQueen, via Fashionista
• Our Favorite Collections, via Fashionista

Tagged as: Alexander McQueen, Designers, Fashion, Obituaries, Tributes