Alexander McQueen facts for kids
Lee Alexander McQueen (17 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was a British fashion designer and couturier. His creative and experimental design received a lot of attention in the world of fashion.
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Early life and education
McQueen was born on 17 March 1969 in Lewisham, London. He started drawing at age three. He wanted to be a designer since he was in primary school. McQueen left school at age 16 and started to serve an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors in 'Anderson & Sheppard'. Afterwards, he also worked for 'Gieves & Hawkes', which made stage costumes for famous shows in London. The skills he learned as an apprentice on Savile Row helped him to get a reputation in the fashion world. At the age of 21, McQueen was hired by Romeo Gigli as assistant designer in Italy.
Career
In 1994, McQueen returned to London and got a master's degree from Central Saint Martins College. It was the turning point that led him to be a designer. McQueen worked at Givenchy as a head designer from 1996 to 2001. After he separated with Givenchy, he focused on his own label. Then, in 2001, he made a debut with The Dance of the Twisted Bull collection in Paris which provoked some scandals.
In 2001 "Gucci" Group got 51% shares of Alexander McQueen brand, which was named after McQueen, and became his new partner. As time passed, McQueen launched "McQ" as second brand, and "My Queen" as perfume brand. McQueen also conducted various brand and design collaboration with Puma, Samsonite and Chivas Regal. By the end of 2006, Alexander McQueen brand has entered 25 cities including London, Paris, New York, Boston, Milan, Moscow, Tokyo and Seoul.
In 1996, he was nominated as the youngest British Fashion Designer of the Year, and again in 1997, 2001 and 2003. Moreover, in 2003 he was nominated as by Council of Fashion Designers of America(CFDA) and received 'Commander of the Order of the British Empire' from Queen. From mid 1990s to 2000s, he had success in his career.
Personal life, death and afterwards
McQueen was openly gay. After his death in 2010, Sarah Burton became the chief designer of the Alexander McQueen business.
Accomplishments
Some of McQueen's accomplishments included being one of the youngest designers to achieve the title "British Designer of the Year", which he won four times between 1996 and 2003; he was also appointed a CBE and named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003.
McQueen has been credited with bringing drama and extravagance to the catwalk. He used new technology and innovation to add a different twist to his shows and often shocked and surprised audiences. The silhouettes that he created have been credited for adding a sense of fantasy and rebellion to fashion.
Company
December 2000 saw a new partnership for McQueen, with the Gucci Group's acquiring 51% of his company and McQueen's serving as Creative Director. Plans for expansion included the opening of stores in London, Milan, and New York, and the launch of his perfumes Kingdom and, most recently, My Queen. In 2005, McQueen collaborated with Puma to create a special line of trainers for the shoe brand. In 2006, he launched McQ, a younger, more renegade lower-priced line for men and women. Among his most popular design is the skull scarf first created in 2003.
By the end of 2007, Alexander McQueen had boutiques in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan, and Las Vegas. Celebrity patrons, including Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rihanna, Monica Brown and J-pop queens, such as Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro, and Koda Kumi, have frequently been spotted wearing Alexander McQueen clothing to events. The number of McQueen stores worldwide had increased to 100 by the end of 2020, with revenues estimated to be €500m in 2020.
McQueen became one of several designers to participate in MAC's promotion of cosmetic releases created by fashion designers. The collection was released on 11 October 2007 and reflected the looks used on the Autumn/Winter McQueen catwalk created by makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury. The inspiration for the collection was the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor movie Cleopatra, and thus the models sported intense blue, green, and teal eyes with strong black liner extended Egyptian-style. McQueen handpicked the makeup.
Popular culture
McQueen created custom designs for music artists David Bowie and Björk, which were used in their album covers and tours. Björk and Ayumi Hamasaki have also incorporated non-custom McQueen pieces into their music videos. Lady Gaga wore several McQueen designs, including the final outfit from Plato's Atlantis, in her video for "Bad Romance".
A leather costume designed by McQueen was worn by Janet Jackson in her halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Museum exhibitions
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City hosted a posthumous exhibition of McQueen's work in 2011 titled Savage Beauty. The exhibition's elaborate staging includes unique architectural finishes and soundtracks for each room. Despite being open for only three months, it was one of the most popular exhibitions in the museum's history. The exhibition was so successful that Alexander McQueen fans and industry professionals worldwide began rallying at Change.org to "Please Make Alexander McQueen's Savage Beauty a Traveling Exhibition" to bring honour to McQueen and see his vision become a reality: to share his work with the entire world. The exhibition then appeared in London's Victoria & Albert Museum between 14 March and 2 August 2015. It sold over 480,000 tickets, making it the most popular show ever staged at that museum.
A second exhibition, Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, was staged at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Victoria in 2022. A version of this exhibition was also produced at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in 2023 under the name Lee Alexander McQueen: l'art rencontre la mode. It juxtaposed McQueen's designs with art and objects from the museum's collection to explore how McQueen's body of work drew from diverse sources across art history.
Images for kids
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Black suit by McQueen, demonstrating his skill in tailoring
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Jacket from The Birds, Spring / Summer 1995
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1996 coat designed for David Bowie, used in his Earthling album and tour
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Alexander McQueen for Givenchy Autumn 1998 'Blade Runner' suit.
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A design from the It's a Jungle out There collection
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Coiled corset made of aluminium rings, The Overlook Autumn/Winter 1999
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The Girl Who Lived in the Tree Autumn/Winter 2008
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Camilla Belle in a dress by McQueen (Spring/Summer 2009), listed among "100 Best Dresses of the Decade" by InStyle magazine.
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Last works by McQueen, Autumn / Winter 2010/2011 collection. Displayed at the Savage Beauty exhibition
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Lee Alexander McQueen Headstone Back, Kilmuir, Isle of Skye. Carved by Pippa Westoby.
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A dedication by a fan at an Alexander McQueen store after McQueen's death
See also
In Spanish: Alexander McQueen para niños
