No forgetting dreamer
The fashion industry has suffered a great loss. Lee McQueen, founder and designer of the unconventional labels Alexander McQueen and McQ, was found dead in his apartment on February 11. His death was self-induced via hanging. The tragedy occurred in the midst of New York Fashion week; his last collection was presented in January in Milan.
McQueen designed collections that came from the wildest of dreams. His spring 2010 line, Plato's Atlantis, was inspired by his thoughts regarding the future of the human race. Evolving from creatures of the sea, in his view, as our ice caps melt and eventually drown the world, humans will revert to being an underwater race. Both eccentric and a little spooky, his latest held true to his highly recognizable avant-garde style. Reptilian-printed dresses embellished with feathers and paillettes, silk and satin ice-blue ruffled miniskirts, warrior-worthy leather outfits, and silver-heavy structured overcoats, were met with hair styled into horns and extreme, hoof-like booties.
A far cry from other major spring trends, such as the “tried and true” military look, or the ever-apparent sheers that have been playing peek-a-boo for the past few seasons, McQueen boldly went where few designers do. Comparable to other kooky couturiers like Vivienne Westwood or John Galliano, McQueen put the “fun back into fashion” by turning his runways into alternate (albeit fashionable) universes. Ominous, gigantic black cameras zoomed back and forth, while a video clip detailing the naked snake-covered body of Raquel Zimmermann played, as a backdrop for his final 2010 showing.
Getting his start as a tailor at age 16 and moving onto theatrical costume design before 20, McQueen's skill level was as recognizable as his creativity. Coaxed into runway work by the famed and wacky Isabella Blow after graduating from London's ultra prestigious Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, the often jaw-dropping label Alexander McQueen was created shortly thereafter. Nicknamed “l'enfant terrible,” and “the hooligan of English fashion,” McQueen was anything but shy when it came to both his collections and runway productions. Accordingly, it didn't take long for him to create a major buzz in the fashion world.
Prompting the low-rise jeans craze with his super low “bumsters,” and sparking a head-spinning trend with his skull-printed scarves, McQueen was both imaginative and intuitive; his collections were wildly popular among both the dreamer and modern girl, alike.
As the fashion world collectively mourns, McQueen will always be remembered for his futuristic and forward-thinking collections. God Save the (Mc)Queen.
McQueen designed collections that came from the wildest of dreams. His spring 2010 line, Plato's Atlantis, was inspired by his thoughts regarding the future of the human race. Evolving from creatures of the sea, in his view, as our ice caps melt and eventually drown the world, humans will revert to being an underwater race. Both eccentric and a little spooky, his latest held true to his highly recognizable avant-garde style. Reptilian-printed dresses embellished with feathers and paillettes, silk and satin ice-blue ruffled miniskirts, warrior-worthy leather outfits, and silver-heavy structured overcoats, were met with hair styled into horns and extreme, hoof-like booties.
A far cry from other major spring trends, such as the “tried and true” military look, or the ever-apparent sheers that have been playing peek-a-boo for the past few seasons, McQueen boldly went where few designers do. Comparable to other kooky couturiers like Vivienne Westwood or John Galliano, McQueen put the “fun back into fashion” by turning his runways into alternate (albeit fashionable) universes. Ominous, gigantic black cameras zoomed back and forth, while a video clip detailing the naked snake-covered body of Raquel Zimmermann played, as a backdrop for his final 2010 showing.
Getting his start as a tailor at age 16 and moving onto theatrical costume design before 20, McQueen's skill level was as recognizable as his creativity. Coaxed into runway work by the famed and wacky Isabella Blow after graduating from London's ultra prestigious Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design, the often jaw-dropping label Alexander McQueen was created shortly thereafter. Nicknamed “l'enfant terrible,” and “the hooligan of English fashion,” McQueen was anything but shy when it came to both his collections and runway productions. Accordingly, it didn't take long for him to create a major buzz in the fashion world.
Prompting the low-rise jeans craze with his super low “bumsters,” and sparking a head-spinning trend with his skull-printed scarves, McQueen was both imaginative and intuitive; his collections were wildly popular among both the dreamer and modern girl, alike.
As the fashion world collectively mourns, McQueen will always be remembered for his futuristic and forward-thinking collections. God Save the (Mc)Queen.
