Remembering Alexander McQueen
Words by Anna Mac.
11 years ago today the fashion world lost one of the most iconic designers of all time to suicide. The legacy he left is like no other, and his work continues to define the industry posthumously.
Lee McQueen, hailing from London, began his fashion career as an apprentice in 1985. After working as a costume designer for Angels and Bermans, he continued his studies at the renowned fashion school Central Saint Martins in London. Throughout the 90s, he worked with stars such as Björk and David Bowie, designing costumes for their respective tours and album covers.
While working with Givenchy from 1996-2001 as head designer, with the adoption of his middle name as the brand of his company, McQueen began to switch his focus on producing collections for his namesake fashion house, Alexander McQueen, which was initially founded in 1992.
A young Alexander McQueen
McQueen led a difficult life behind the scenes of creating one of the most prestigious brands the world had ever seen. He was an openly gay man and HIV positive. As the years went on, his style of tailored garments began to reflect his own mental suffering. Beginning as a bright young spark full of ambition and hunger, the clothes he produced in his later life took an ominous turn.
McQueen was always a romantic, but his collection Voss at his Spring/Summer show in 2001 showed the dark side of the designer. The collection exhibited garments draped on models inside a glass box, a backdrop that mimicked the inside of a psychiatric hospital. Voss was a beautifully tragic collection, and expressed the mind of the tortured genius through pale apparel in a dismal setting.
Kate Moss modelling the Voss collection
McQueen was his work to his core. He was a perfectionist and, according to his friend Sebastian Pons, a workaholic. He was always trying to push the boundaries in the fashion scene, and he certainly succeeded. It was revealed in the Netflix documentary McQueen that the idea of suicide was a prominent topic of conversation for the designer. One idea he had, the year before his death, he told Pons that he wanted to shoot himself in a glass box on the catwalk to end one of his shows, hinting at McQueen’s previous diagnosis of mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, and his history with substance abuse. His psychiatrist, Dr Stephen Pereira, has said that McQueen often missed appointments. On February 11th 2010, a day before his mother’s funeral, Lee McQueen was found dead in his home.
His genius work reflected his mental state in his last collection, which debuted after his death. Entitled Angels and Demons, his final collection was inspired by medieval times with truly beautiful pieces exhibiting elegant silhouettes and ornate embroidery.
The elaborate designs of Angels and Demons.
Alexander McQueen was in pain for the majority of his career, and while he produced amazing couture items and left a legacy like no other, his mental downfall is a cruel lesson to learn within the arts industry. Just because creators are producing trade changing ideas and attire, it doesn’t mean that the warning signs of mental suffering should be ignored. Many people look forward to the downfall of celebrities such as musicians, as it means that their next album will be “better” because of heartbreak or a personal loss. We need to take action when these signals appear, and celebrate careers that omit longevity and happiness rather than the alternative.
If you are struggling with your mental health, please do not hesitate to reach out and seek help.
Some useful contacts are listed below:
Text TALK to 50808
Pieta House: 1800 247 247 or Text HELP to 51444
Samaritans: 116 123
Aware: 1800 80 48 48
Womens Aid: 1800 341 900
Let’s Get Talking Dublin: 01 456 9158
Let’s Get Talking Galway: 091 765 500
