Alexander McQueen facts for kids
Lee Alexander McQueen (born March 17, 1969 – died February 11, 2010) was a British fashion designer. He was known for his amazing and creative designs that really stood out in the fashion world.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
McQueen was born in Lewisham, London, on March 17, 1969. He started drawing when he was just three years old. He knew he wanted to be a designer ever since he was in primary school.
McQueen left school at 16. He began an apprenticeship with famous Savile Row tailors like 'Anderson & Sheppard'. He also worked for 'Gieves & Hawkes', which made costumes for big shows in London. The skills he learned as an apprentice helped him become well-known in fashion. When he was 21, McQueen worked as an assistant designer for Romeo Gigli in Italy.
Fashion Career
In 1994, McQueen came back to London. He earned a master's degree from Central Saint Martins College. This was a big step that helped him become a top designer.
McQueen worked as the head designer for Givenchy from 1996 to 2001. After leaving Givenchy, he focused on his own fashion brand. In 2001, he showed his collection called The Dance of the Twisted Bull in Paris. It was very bold and got a lot of attention.
Later, in 2001, the "Gucci" Group became a partner in his Alexander McQueen brand. Over time, McQueen also launched other brands, like "McQ" for younger styles and "My Queen" for perfumes. He also worked with companies like Puma, Samsonite, and Chivas Regal on special designs. By 2006, Alexander McQueen stores were in 25 cities around the world, including London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo.
McQueen won the "British Fashion Designer of the Year" award many times. He was the youngest person to win it in 1996. He won it again in 1997, 2001, and 2003. In 2003, he also received a special award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The Queen of England even gave him an award called 'Commander of the Order of the British Empire'. He had a very successful career from the mid-1990s to the 2000s.
Later Life and Legacy
After Alexander McQueen passed away in 2010, Sarah Burton became the main designer for the Alexander McQueen company.
Amazing Achievements
Alexander McQueen achieved many great things. He was one of the youngest designers to win "British Designer of the Year" four times. This happened between 1996 and 2003. He also received the CBE award and was named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in 2003.
McQueen was known for bringing excitement and drama to his fashion shows. He used new technology and fresh ideas to make his shows unique. He often surprised everyone with his designs. The shapes he created in his clothes added a feeling of fantasy and rebellion to fashion.
The Alexander McQueen Company
In December 2000, the Gucci Group bought part of Alexander McQueen's company. McQueen became the Creative Director. They planned to open more stores in cities like London, Milan, and New York. He also launched his perfumes, Kingdom and My Queen.
In 2005, McQueen worked with Puma to create a special line of sneakers. In 2006, he launched McQ. This was a younger, more affordable clothing line for men and women. One of his most popular designs is the skull scarf, first made in 2003.
By the end of 2007, Alexander McQueen had stores in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan, and Las Vegas. Many famous people wore his clothes, including Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Rihanna. Even J-pop stars like Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro wore his designs. By 2020, there were 100 McQueen stores worldwide.
McQueen also worked with MAC on a special makeup collection. It was released on October 11, 2007. The makeup looked like the styles from his Autumn/Winter fashion show. The idea for the collection came from the 1963 Elizabeth Taylor movie Cleopatra. Models had bold blue, green, and teal eyes with strong black eyeliner, just like in ancient Egypt. McQueen personally chose the makeup colors.
In Popular Culture
McQueen designed special outfits for music artists like David Bowie and Björk. These were used on their album covers and during their tours. Björk and Ayumi Hamasaki also wore McQueen's regular designs in their music videos. Lady Gaga wore several McQueen designs, including an outfit from his Plato's Atlantis collection, in her music video for "Bad Romance".
A leather costume designed by McQueen was worn by Janet Jackson during her halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.
Museum Exhibitions
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City held a special show of McQueen's work in 2011. It was called Savage Beauty. The exhibition was set up in a very detailed way, with unique designs and music for each room. Even though it was only open for three months, it was one of the most popular shows ever at that museum.
Because it was so successful, fans and fashion experts asked for the "Savage Beauty" exhibition to travel. They wanted to share McQueen's work with the whole world. The exhibition then came to London's Victoria & Albert Museum from March 14 to August 2, 2015. It sold over 480,000 tickets, making it the most popular show ever at that museum.
A second exhibition, Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, was shown at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Victoria in 2022. A similar version of this show was also at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in 2023. It showed McQueen's designs next to art and objects from the museum's collection. This helped people see how McQueen's work was inspired by different parts of art history.
Images for kids
-
Black suit by McQueen, showing his amazing tailoring skills
-
Jacket from The Birds, Spring / Summer 1995 collection
-
1996 coat designed for David Bowie, used in his Earthling album and tour
-
Alexander McQueen for Givenchy Autumn 1998 'Blade Runner' suit
-
A design from the It's a Jungle out There collection
-
Coiled corset made of aluminum rings, The Overlook Autumn/Winter 1999
-
The Girl Who Lived in the Tree Autumn/Winter 2008
-
Camilla Belle in a dress by McQueen (Spring/Summer 2009), listed among "100 Best Dresses of the Decade" by InStyle magazine
-
Last works by McQueen, Autumn / Winter 2010/2011 collection. Displayed at the Savage Beauty exhibition
-
Lee Alexander McQueen Headstone Back, Kilmuir, Isle of Skye. Carved by Pippa Westoby.
-
A dedication by a fan at an Alexander McQueen store after McQueen's death
See also
In Spanish: Alexander McQueen para niños
