Remembering Alexander McQueen
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Today, Alexander McQueen would have turned 54 years old, but tragically, he passed away by suicide in 2010. Let’s remember this fantastic designer by looking at what his eponymous House looked like under his creative direction.
Alexander McQueen was one of the most influential and innovative designers in the history of fashion. Born in London on March 17, 1969, to a father who was a taxi driver and a mother who was a teacher, he grew up in a family of six. He left school at 16 to begin a journey in fashion, first as an apprentice at Savile Row ( at Anderson & Sheppard and Gieves & Hawkes), where he learned traditional tailoring techniques, and then at Angels & Bermans, Japanese designer Koji Tatsuno, and Italian designer Romeo Gigli with all whom he learned about pattern-cutting. Actually, this strong background is what taught and inspired him to experiment with tailoring, cutting, construction, and draping once he became a designer.
After these experiences, McQueen returned to London to take an MA in Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins. Fun fact: the late fashion stylist Isabella Blow liked his graduate collection so much that she purchased all of it for £5,000 and, of course, he made a name for himself with it. She is the one who encouraged him to go by the name “Alexander” rather than his first given name “Lee”.
McQueen launched his namesake label in 1992. But between 1996 and 2001, he worked as the head designer at Givenchy. His relationship with the House was not always easy though; he often referred to this time as “feeling in a cage”. In 2001, he returned to his label and sold a 51% stake in his company to the Gucci Group, now called the Kering Group.
McQueen’s designs were greatly inspired by cultural influences from abroad - like Africa, China, India, Turkey, and Japan. He worked with a diverse range of materials, such as feathers (see his famous fall 2006 “bird’s nest” headdress, the “horn of plenty” fall 2009 dress, and the spring 2008 “butterfly headdress”), flowers (see “Sarabande” spring 2007 dress, “Widows of Culloden” fall 2006 dress), and glass (see “Eshu” fall 2000 dress), among others.
Some of McQueen’s iconic pieces include the skull scarf, bumsters (low-cut trousers), the Oyster dress, The Girl Who Lived in the Tree dress, the armadillo boots, and many others.
McQueen was known for his extravagant, lavish, and rebellious fashion shows. Some of them were inspired by the films of Alfred Hitchcock, the book "Lord of the Flies," and even psychiatric facilities. His runways often carried a strong political message (see fall 1995 "Highland Rape" showing England’s abuse of power on Scotland); they were staged in surprising locations (see fall 1996 “Dante” show in a church); they were also daring and extravagant (see spring 1997 “La Poupée”, inspired by the erotic doll art of Hans Bellmer), innovative (see spring 1999 “No 13”, when the model Shalom Harlow walked in a white dress which was then sprayed with red paint by robots & spring 2010 “Plato’s Atlantis” that explored the relationship between nature and technology and introduced the armadillo shoe), and above all theatrical (see spring 2001 “VOSS” that was centered around a glass box that resembled a padded cell in a psychiatric hospital, fall 2003 “Scanners” where models traversed wind tunnels suspended above the runway, and fall 2006 “The Widows of Culloden” where one of McQueen’s favorite models Kate Moss appeared as an ethereal apparition within a glass pyramid, echoing a 19th-century stage trick, 'Pepper's Ghost'.)
Besides his main line, the designer also had a lower-priced, younger line called “McQ”, which was launched in 2006 but was suspended in June 2022.
Some notable projects of McQueen include releasing the fragrances Kingdom (2003) and MyQueen (2005), a collection of cosmetics for MAC (2007) inspired by the actress Elizabeth Taylor in her film role as Cleopatra, and a collaborative collection with Puma on a special line of trainers in 2005.
McQueen had a strong influence in the fashion industry, and his talent was recognized even by people who disliked him. They called him “The hooligan of English fashion” and “L’Enfant terrible”, just like Jean Paul Gaultier. He was awarded the title of British Designer of the Year by the British Fashion Council 4 times between 1996 and 2001. In 2003, he was awarded a CBE for his services to the fashion industry and was also named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Before he died, he left behind £16 million ($19.7 million), which he split between various charities, his family, employees, and his dogs. His final collection was shown at Paris Fashion Week. There were only 16 pieces, and it was only 80% complete.
Since the founder’s passing in 2010, the House has been run by creative director Sarah Burton, who managed to maintain the prestige of the brand by launching impressive collections year after year. Have you seen the last one?
Do you like Alexander McQueen? Feel free to share with us in the comments.
What's happening in the industry this week?💚
New fashion shows are coming up
Fendi will stage its Men’s Spring 2024 fashion show on June 15, at the recently inaugurated Fendi factory in Capannuccia in Tuscany, right in the middle of Pitti Uomo fashion week.
Emilio Pucci’s next collection is scheduled for May 4 in Florence. This will be the first time the collection is presented on a runway under the brand’s artistic director Camille Miceli since her appointment in September 2021.
Dior’s next pre-fall 2023 fashion collection will be showcased in India, at the historic Gateway of India monument in Mumbai.
According to BoF, the reason for staging runway shows abroad is that “Travelling shows have become a key tool for luxury brands to produce memorable marketing moments with the “wow”-factor to stand out on social media. They can also be a way for brands to activate key geographies, signaling a desire to deepen ties with a market and providing a chance to engage high-spending local clients.”
Coach releases an updated version of Tabby bag
The new Tabby bag, celebrated in the “In My Tabby” campaign with brand ambassadors Lil Nas X, Camila Mendes, Koki, and Wu JinYan, is an update of an archival bag from the ‘70s reimagined by creative director Stuart Vevers.
Michael Kors reissues the Astor Bag
The designer reissued one of his signature bags - the Astor Bag - first released in 2004. It will be available in 2 sizes priced at $498 and $598.
P.S Did you know that Michael Kors named it after the Astor Place subway station, the dividing line between Greenwich Village and the East Village, which are two of his favorite New York City neighborhoods?
Staud launches bridal
The brand introduced its bridal debut collection on Wednesday that "was inspired by weddings throughout history that still feel both timeless and relevant for today," shared Sarah Staudinger, the founder. Staud Bride includes apparel pieces, shoes, and accessories to wear at weddings, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, ceremonies, and receptions, for the brides and wedding guests. Prices range from $195 to $895.
H&M launches “H&M Pre-Loved”
The fast fashion retailer launched its first branded resale platform this Tuesday with ThredUp, debuting with 30,000 items. With the aim to offer H&M customers to shop secondhand pieces, customers can find subshops for H&M concepts such as “&Denim,” “Divided” as well as women, kids, and sport, among others. Its past designer collaborations will also be available to shop.
Dior launches second men’s beachwear capsule collection with Parley for the Oceans
The French fashion House has teamed with the environmental organization Parley for the Oceans to release a second men’s beachwear capsule collection starting mid-May, which is 96% eco-responsible. The collection will include pieces like shorts, pants, T-shirts, polo shirts, and sweaters. It is said that 59% of the items used ocean plastic in their composition, and 37% used fabrics with a certification such as GOTS, which limits the use of toxic bleaches, dyes, and other chemical inputs during the production process of textiles. In addition, the collection includes 2 additional collaborations - one with surfwear maker Vissla on wetsuits made from recycled jerseys that incorporate 50% of recycled cotton, and another one with Notox on an eco-responsible surfboard.
Glenn Martens partners with Jean Paul Gaultier for a second ready-to-wear collection
Jean Paul Gaultier × Y/Project’s by Glenn Martens's second collaboration launches today and includes a range of clothing with a trompe-l’oeil effect, with prices ranging from 320 to 1,290 euros.
Adrien Brody will create a new capsule collection for Bally
The actor will debut as a designer to create a series of capsule collections for the Swiss luxury brand. Inspired by his travels around the world, the collections will include ready-to-wear, shoes, bags, and other accessories and will be released at the end of the year.
Stéphane Ashpool will design the uniforms for the Olympics 2024
The founder of the Pigalle Paris label Stéphane Ashpool has been named artistic director in charge of the French Olympic and Paralympic team uniforms produced by Le Coq Sportif for the French Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Paul Surridge to become Loro Piana's creative director?
Rumor has it, Loro Piana, who never had a creative director, is planning to appoint the British designer Paul Surridge as such. To be confirmed, stay tuned.
Pantone expands its SkinTone Guide
For the first time in 10 years, Pantone LLC is broadening its SkinTone Guide by adding 28 more colors to the initial 110 skin tone palette to appeal to a wider, diverse audience, thinking of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and Black communities. Initially launched for the cosmetics industry, the guide can now be applied to fashion, home&interiors, prosthetics, toys, the metaverse, product development, packaging, advertising, and more.
United Nations Conference talks fashion
The conference held on Thursday in the framework of the 67th edition of the Commission on the Status of Women, running from March 6 to 17 at the U.N Headquarters in New York, included conversations about leadership opportunities and women’s empowerment in fashion. Speakers included Tamburai Chirume, cofounder, The African Academy of Fashion; Ngozi Okaro, executive director, Custom Collaborative; and Kerry Bannigan, executive director, Fashion Impact Fund and cofounder of the U.N. Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network.
What’s new in beauty 💄
Vanessa Hudgens will relaunch Know Beauty
First introduced in 2021 with Madison Beer, Vanessa Hudgens relaunched her skincare brand Know Beauty as its sole founder this Wednesday on Amazon. For now, there is only one product available - the vegan and cruelty-free Glacial Bay Clay Mask, priced at $35.
Fashion Career Tip of the Week
Are you interested in the role of a fashion buyer or merchandiser but you are not sure which is best for you?
In our latest article on glamobserver.com, we explain what’s the difference between a fashion buyer and a merchandiser.
You will learn:
Who is a fashion buyer
The difference between a collection and a retail merchandiser
What do buyers and merchandisers have in common, and what are the differences between the two roles
Read the article here and start looking for buying or merchandising jobs or internships.
P.S The roles can interchange depending on the company, so make sure to read the job description carefully.
Nice things 💖
Law Roach makes a runway debut at Boss’ Spring 2023 show in Miami.
P.S Did you hear that he is retiring from styling? Check out his interview with Vogue in our “what to read” section below to learn the details.
Behold the Couture 2.0, Spring-Summer 23 collection by Saiid Kobeisy.
What to listen to this week 🎙️
Want to work in fashion and wondering what’s the most important skill that recruiters look at when hiring?
Well, it’s not a sense of style, but Excel that is the #1 skill that is common among 90% of fashion jobs.
When we think about the fashion industry, we see fashion shows, clothes, shoes, magazines… but behind the scenes, fashion professionals spend the majority of their time on a laptop answering emails and planning and making analyses on Excel sheets.
In my latest podcast episode, we explain 3 reasons why you need to learn Excel if you want to work in fashion.
You will learn:
Who uses Excel in fashion and what for
How Excel can help you land a job or an internship in fashion
How it will save you during a job interview and help you impress the recruiters
And how Excel can help you in every aspect of your career
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Want to learn Excel tricks applied to fashion? Register for my upcoming free live webinar here.
Also, Kering and Marie Claire launch a podcast called “Fashion Our Future”. Hosted by Laurianne Meliere, it will talk about solutions to make the fashion and luxury industry more sustainable and circular. Listen to the first episodes here.
What to read this week 📚
Want to know what buyers are buying from Fall/Winter 2023 collections? Read this article to find out.
Vogue interviewed Law Roach to talk about his modeling debut at Boss’ Spring 2023 show in Miami, his decision to retire from styling, and his future plans. Read it here.
Fashion Profiles to follow this week
Sarah Staudinger, founder of Staud
Law Roach, to keep up with his next projects
Your Fashion Jobs Date 🔍
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That’s all for this week.
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Giada Graziano, Inside Fashion Editor in Chief and Glam Observer Founder
Margarita Skacenko, Fashion Editorial Assistant
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