Alexander McQueen was a prodigious force of nature. Discovered by Isabella Blow while working as a pattern cutter at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, McQueen quickly rose to the heights of fashion design. While many of you may not know the brilliance of McQueen, his impact has forever changed the fashion world.
Perhaps you may know of him through the celebrities that wore his clothes. Lady Gaga infamously wore his lobster-claw shoes in her “Bad Romance” music video. Her shoes were appropriated from Spring/Summer 2010 collection entitled “Plato’s Atlantis” which showcased an apocalyptic vision of the future. As gangly models precariously swung their legs, tribal music propelled them forward in a clunking of bedazzled hoofed feet. Pieced reptilian armor draped over the model’s bodies in what can only be described as a singular and unique vision of fashion. This unapologetic desire for an almost anthropological exploration of humanity made McQueen’s work more than simply clothing. His work was all about getting lost in a world that only existed inside his head. Seeing love and dedication unfurl in a timed burst of euphoria and exuberance, one cannot help but respond to McQueen’s genuineness. McQueen will be missed because each show was an extension of himself; a compulsion towards revealing human truths through fashion.
What I remember about McQueen was his uncompromising vision. Due to his unwavering love for the theatrical and extreme, McQueen was never afraid to push the limits. By delivering bold and innovative designs season after season, McQueen was the choice designer for truly daring women.
Only nine days after the death of his mother, McQueen took his own life on February 11, 2010. The sales at McQueen have since risen 1400 percent. Sadly, true genius is only appreciated when it is gone. It is almost as if his brilliance could only sustain itself for a short time. We must be reminded to take notice of the beauty around us before it isn’t there anymore. Alexander McQueen will be sorely missed. We will love you forever, Alexander.
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