Lee Alexander McQueen SS 2001
Lee Alexander McQueen SS 2001
Lee Alexander McQueen SS 2010
Lee Alexander McQueen SS 2001
Alexander McQueen was one of the world's foremost fashion designers, renowned for his innovative pattern cutting, sharp tailoring and spectacular fashion shows until his death at the age of 40 in 2010. Born Lee Alexander McQueen in London in 1969, the youngest of six children, he left school at 16 and went straight into an apprenticeship at the traditional Savile Row tailors Anderson and Sheppard, followed by experience at neighbouring Gieves and Hawkes, both masters in the technical construction of clothing. From there he moved to the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans where he mastered 6 methods of pattern cutting from the melodramatic 16th Century to the brutally sharp tailoring which became a McQueen signature. Aged 20 he was employed by the designer Koji Tatsuno who also had his roots in British tailoring, and a year later travelled to Milan to be Romeo Gigili's design assistant. He finally returned to London in 1994 where he completed a Masters degree in Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art. His 1994 degree collection was famously bought in its entirety by influential fashion director and taste-maker Isabella Blow. He received considerable critical acclaim, quickly being dubbed an 'enfant terrible' by the international fashion press. He became one of the youngest designers to achieve the title 'British Designer of the Year' in 1996, 1997 and again in 2001. McQueen assumed the position of Chief Designer at the French Haute Couture House Givenchy from October 1996 to March 2001 - in December 2000 his own label underwent a partnership with Gucci, who acquired 51% of the company. McQueen's work combined an in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, French Haute Couture atelier workmanship and the impeccable finish of Italian manufacturing. Plans for expansion of the McQueen label included the opening of flagship stores in London, New York and Milan, and the launch of fragrances 'Kingdom' and 'My Queen'. In 2003, he was awarded a CBE and 'British Designer of the Year' for the fourth time. McQueen launched a diffusion line, McQ, in 2005. Following the death of Lee Alexander McQueen in 2010, Sarah Burton was named as creative director of the McQueen brand.
To Lee, With Love, Nick
Video from Nick Knight, SHOWstudio.com
Editorial: SHOWstudio.com
Photo Credit by British Fashion Awards
No comments:
Post a Comment