History: Fashion Designers

Photo Credit: VOGUE NL

Alexander McQueen

The eccentric creator who still inspires how we dress.

The iconic fashion designer, Alexander McQueen was born on March 17th 1969 in Lewisham, London into a working class family. His father Ronald was a cab driver, and his mother Joyce taught social science. On their narrow income, the McQueen's supported six children including Alexander McQueen.

"I always wanted to be a designer. I read books on fashion from age 12," said Alexander McQueen.

Lee was what Alexander was called by most of his friends for the majority of his life. However McQueen acknowledged his homosexuality at a young age which resulted in McQueen being bullied by his schoolmates. By age 16 McQueen had dropped out of school, and found work on Savile Row, a street in London's Mayfair District notoriously known for making men's suits. 

"Fashion should be a form of escapism, not a form of imprisonment," said Alexander McQueen.

McQueen received his first job from the tailor shop, "Anderson and Shephard." Later on he moved to work at "Gieves and Hawkes." McQueen was able to further his career and moved on from Savile Row to working with theatrical costume designers "Angels and Burmans." The notorious dramatic style of clothing that McQueen was known for would be inspired by his work with costumes. 

"Now I design what I want to wear, and it works that way," said Alexander McQueen.

After a short period of time McQueen packed up and left London to live in Milan, and work for an Italian Fashion Designer known as Romeo Gigli. Once McQueen returned to London he attended Central Saint Marin's College of Art and Design and received a M.A. in Fashion Design in 1992. As part of a project for the class McQueen created a line inspired by "Jack the Ripper," which was noticed by the famous London stylist Isabella Blow who later on became a good friend of McQueen, and a strong advocate for his work.

"I find beauty in the grotesque like most artists," said Alexander McQueen.

Photo Credit: THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM
OF ART. 1992 MCQUEEN COLLECTION
"JACK THE RIPPER."

After receiving his degree in Fashion Design McQueen begun to start up his own clothing line for women which proved successful with introducing his "dumpster pants," named after their drastically low cut waist band. Just four years after school McQueen was already named Chief Designer at Louis Vuitton- owned Givenchy, a French haute-couture fashion house. Aside from receiving a very prestigious position, McQueen only stayed at the fashion house for five years. 

"Give me time, and I'll give you a revolution," said Alexander McQueen.

While going against the status quo McQueen constantly felt like he was being held back and wasn't able to express his full potential for creativity. Even having doubts about his work, McQueen won British Designer of the year in 1996, 1997, and 2001. By 2000 Gucci had purchased a 51% stake in McQueen's private company which was able to provide the capital needed for McQueen to expand his business. By 2003 McQueen was declared International Designer of the Year by the Fashion Designers of America and a most excellent Commander of the British Empire by the Queen of England. With the help of Gucci's investment McQueen was able to produce a number of unique pieces after leaving Givenchy.

"I come from a different era, and design clothes for our era. I think of people I want to dress when I design," said Alexander McQueen.

McQueen's longtime friend Isabella Blow committed suicide in 2007 leaving McQueen with the shadow of mourning. In 2008 McQueen dedicated his Spring/Summer collection to Blow which provided McQueen with a valuable lesson in fashion. Two years later McQueen's mother had passed away, and the day before her funeral February 11, 2010 McQueen was found dead in his Mayfair, London apartment. The cause of death was soon determined as suicide. McQueen left the world by giving us a new outlook on fashion, and style by always going against the status quo in everything he did. A long time co-designer Sarah Burton took over and is still operating the Alexander McQueen brand. McQueen's contribution to fashion was honored a year later in 2011 with an exhibit of his creations at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

"I think there is beauty in everything. What 'normal' people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it," said Alexander McQueen.

Credit

"Alexander McQueen." Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017,

www.biography.com/people/alexander-mcqueen-541384.