Introduction
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McQueen is Avant-garde Designer, born in London and one of six children. Son of a cab driver and science teacher is a rebel by heart. He started making clothes for his sisters that influenced the Brit to look into fashion designing. The high school drop out left because of taunting peers who bullied him about is sexual orientation. McQueen decided to take up an apprenticeship in London’s Savile Row, a street in Mayfair, central London, known for its bespoke tailoring for men. During this time, he mastered six methods of pattern cutting from the 16th century to the present.
The 20 year old, recruited to work of designer Romeo Gigli in Milan, fed his mind with notions to further his education. McQueen did what others deemed impossible, after showing his portfolio; he immediately was accepted without any formal education. During his enrollment at St. Martin, his first launched collection gained overwhelming press that shot him to international fame. Since then, he launched his label in 1992, replaced John Galliano, ready-to-wear head designer at Givenchy's Haute Couture, and connected a Gucci-McQueen partnership and continues to challenge the traditional ways of fashion. Alexander’s brilliance brewed in time, today, he features pieces of art in the runway that showcases his passion for historicism, naturalism, and exoticism, the love of gothic, Darwinism and Romantic fixations that are only an extension of his influence. |
Critical Analysis
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Alexander McQueen is the most celebrated designer of the 21st century. His impact lives even after his death, a tragedy that society refuses to accept. McQueen embodied the last decade of the millennium with his extravagant theatrical nature and unforgettable attitude. From his Jack the Ripper stalks his victim collection to his Highland Rape masterpiece; McQueen represented the Teen spirit of the decade. The 1990s was a difficult time for society, because of the rise in crime and corruption in America, people often riot and protested for their rights. Characterized by multiculturalism and new alternative media, rave scenes gangs and the Internet boom, the 1990s was all about making money. McQueen mimicked the troubling times of selfishness with dramatic flair often with a subliminal message.
"He didn't just create fashion, he created spectacles," says the fashion designer Scott Henshall. "He had Sophie Dahl encased with butterflies, he had models sprayed with paint to enter his finale catwalk shows and he really elevated fashion to what it should be." The extravagant scenario, runway drama, tantrums, the London bad boy with a temper walks around with a chip on his shoulder is normalcy for Alexander McQueen. Alexander McQueen changed how the runway was presented, he introduced theatre, and he let you experience every breath, every song, everything there was always poetry and it all meant something. He found inspirations everywhere like his Scottish ancestry, Historical events, Alfred Hitchcock music, Yoruba Mythology, his friends, and the destruction of the environment. McQueen’s 2008 spring and summer collection called La Dame Bleue was inspired by the life of his dear friend and patron Isabella Blow. She championed his work and wore his clothes on the street and pages of magazines. “Isabella flew. The collection is exuberant and excessive. It’s about her way of thinking brought light into fashion.” – Alexander McQueen (McQueen Evolution) |
Influence
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Alexander McQueen creates impeccable tailoring in all his creations. This expertise he learned at Savile Row during his early years and earned him the reputation of a great tailor. Though, it is not only his tailoring skills that made him a world-renowned icon it was his unconventional designs, his rendition of jeans, prints he made popular, the models he used and theatrical runway shows. Alexander McQueen is recognized in many different ways, but one he is admired most is his ability to attract attention, which propelled him to the high ranks of fashion.
McQueen’s shows caused a shift in how fashion shows are presented; he inspired the entire fashion world. His artistic view on clothes inspired some of his fellow designers including John Galliano, Isaac Mizrahi and Vivienne Westwood, Dolce and Gabbana and Avril Lavigne all created renditions of McQueen trends. “He was very much about anarchy and about the anarchy of the British street, the anarchy of British music, and trying to, again, harness that into his clothes. And the bumster was one of the garments that, very early on, would make his reputation as this provocateur.” – Andrew Bolton (met curator) Alexander McQueen left a lasting effect in the fashion industry by simply changing it. His work was intricate and illusive that dawned the most memorable extreme silhouettes in history. The outlandish designs were unconventional and bizarre. He is known to push boundaries and creating trends in the catwalk. These trends include as his infamous theatrical headpieces, which were over-the-top work of art models wear during his shows. This trend resonates with fashion shows today and Victoria Secret’s annual fashion show is the perfect example he made art wearable. With McQueen’s elaborate shows, resulted the connection and collaboration with the make-up industry. Designers today are able to license cosmetics because of his influence in the runway. In 2010, Lady Gaga, an internationally known pop star sported Alexander McQueen’s Armadillo 12cm high heels on MTV Music Awards. The shoe design defines the style McQueen creates. Adding fantasy and rebellion in his silhouettes that symbolize an edge to fashion. The raw materials he enjoyed using were Scottish plaid and lace, horsehair, tweed fabrics and created fringe patterns. Designers today practice the freedom to be as outlandish, crazy, and shocking as possible. He executed poetry in his designs connecting human emotions with every step. McQueen set a good example for the future designers, but no one else will compare to him. |
Photo Gallery
Work Cited
"Fashion: Vogue's View: Macabre McQueen: Beyond the Hype and Headlines, the Obscenities and Tantrums, does Alexander McQueen
have enough Talent to Keep Givenchy Going? Katherine Betts Goes Behind the Seams." Vogue Oct 01 1997: 382,382, 383, 384, 385,
386, 387, 435. ProQuest. 26 Aug. 2014 .
“Alexander McQueen: 1969–2010,” by Hamish Bowles. Vogue, April 2010.
Horyn, Cathy. "The Year In Style." - NYTimes.com. N.p., 01 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E4DD153CF932A35752C0A9649D8B63&pagewanted=all>.
Thurman, Judith. "Dressed to Thrill - The New Yorker, Alexander McQueen at the Met."
The New Yorker. N.p., 16 May 2011. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/16/dressed-to-thrill?currentPage=all>.
"Highland Rape | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York." Savage Beauty RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Aug. 2014. <http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/tag/highland-rape/>.
"Isabella Blow." The Telegraph. The Telegraph, 08 2007. Web. 2 Dec 2012.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1550855/Isabella-Blow.html>.
“Alexander McQueen." Bio. True Story. Bio. True Story. Web. 2 Dec 2012.
<http://www.biography.com/people/alexander-mcqueen-541384>.
"Alexander McQueen." Voguepedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Alexander_McQueen#cite_note-12>.
Vaidyanathan, Rajini. "Six Ways Alexander McQueen Changed Fashion." BBC News. BBC, 02 Dec. 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2014.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8511404.stm>.
Images
Gleason, Katherine. Alexander Mcqueen Evolution. New York: Race Point, 2012. Print.
Steele, Valerie, and Robert Nippoldt. Fashion Designers A-Z: The Collection of the Museum at FIT: Prada Edition. Köln: Taschen, 2012. Print.
have enough Talent to Keep Givenchy Going? Katherine Betts Goes Behind the Seams." Vogue Oct 01 1997: 382,382, 383, 384, 385,
386, 387, 435. ProQuest. 26 Aug. 2014 .
“Alexander McQueen: 1969–2010,” by Hamish Bowles. Vogue, April 2010.
Horyn, Cathy. "The Year In Style." - NYTimes.com. N.p., 01 Jan. 2012. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E4DD153CF932A35752C0A9649D8B63&pagewanted=all>.
Thurman, Judith. "Dressed to Thrill - The New Yorker, Alexander McQueen at the Met."
The New Yorker. N.p., 16 May 2011. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/16/dressed-to-thrill?currentPage=all>.
"Highland Rape | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York." Savage Beauty RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Aug. 2014. <http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/tag/highland-rape/>.
"Isabella Blow." The Telegraph. The Telegraph, 08 2007. Web. 2 Dec 2012.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1550855/Isabella-Blow.html>.
“Alexander McQueen." Bio. True Story. Bio. True Story. Web. 2 Dec 2012.
<http://www.biography.com/people/alexander-mcqueen-541384>.
"Alexander McQueen." Voguepedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Alexander_McQueen#cite_note-12>.
Vaidyanathan, Rajini. "Six Ways Alexander McQueen Changed Fashion." BBC News. BBC, 02 Dec. 2010. Web. 31 Aug. 2014.
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8511404.stm>.
Images
Gleason, Katherine. Alexander Mcqueen Evolution. New York: Race Point, 2012. Print.
Steele, Valerie, and Robert Nippoldt. Fashion Designers A-Z: The Collection of the Museum at FIT: Prada Edition. Köln: Taschen, 2012. Print.