Alexander McQueen (fashion house) facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Traded as | Euronext: KER FP |
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | Alexander McQueen |
| Headquarters |
London
,
England
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Key people
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Gianfilippo Testa (CEO) Seán McGirr (Creative director) |
| Parent | Kering |
Alexander McQueen is a famous British fashion house that makes luxury clothes and accessories. It was started by the designer Alexander McQueen in 1992. After he passed away, Sarah Burton became the creative director from 2010 to 2023. Currently, Gianfilippo Testa is the CEO, and Seán McGirr is the creative director. The company is known for its special haute couture (custom-made fashion), ready-to-wear clothes, fancy leather items, and shoes.
Contents
History of Alexander McQueen
The Alexander McQueen brand began in 1992. The designer Alexander McQueen quickly became known for his bold and sometimes shocking fashion shows. He created amazing and unusual runway events. For example, one show looked like a shipwreck. Another featured a human chess game.
His Fall 2006 show, called Widows of Culloden, even had a life-sized hologram of supermodel Kate Moss. In total, Alexander McQueen designed 36 collections for his brand.
During his career, McQueen won "British Designer of the Year" four times. This was between 1996 and 2003. He also received a special award called a CBE. In 2003, he was named International Designer of the Year.
In 2000, the Gucci Group bought 51% of his company. They made him the Creative Director. After this, Alexander McQueen opened stores in major cities. These included London, Milan, New York, and Los Angeles. The fashion shows also moved from London to Paris.
The company launched its first collection for men in 2005. They still show their men's collections during Milan Fashion Week. In 2008, Alexander McQueen started an online store in the US. This expanded to the UK in 2010. In 2011, a new store opened in Beijing, China, with a big fashion show.
After Alexander McQueen passed away in 2010, Sarah Burton took over. She had worked as his deputy for 14 years. The company continued to grow around the world. By 2020, there were 100 McQueen stores globally.
McQ: A Younger Fashion Line
In 2006, Alexander McQueen launched a new fashion line called McQ. This line offered clothes and accessories at a lower price. It was separate from the main Alexander McQueen brand. McQ was designed to appeal to a younger audience. It focused on more casual styles, like denim.
At first, another company helped make and sell McQ items. But in 2010, Alexander McQueen decided to take full control of McQ. Sarah Burton, the creative director of the main brand, also oversaw McQ.
In 2012, the first McQ store opened in London. McQ also started showing its collections at London Fashion Week. However, in 2022, the McQ line was put on hold.
Cool Collaborations
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Alexander McQueen loved to work with other artists and brands. These partnerships created unique and exciting products.
From 1996 to 2001, McQueen worked with jeweller Shaun Leane. They made special jewellery for the runway shows. In 2003, McQueen launched his first perfume, Kingdom. He also worked with dancer Michael Clark and singer Björk for fashion shows.
In 2005, Alexander McQueen teamed up with Puma AG. They created a cool line of sneakers and shoes. This partnership combined traditional style with new technology. Later, they even made a short film to promote their collection.
In 2007, Alexander McQueen was the first fashion brand to work with MAC Cosmetics. They created a makeup collection inspired by McQueen's fashion shows. The makeup looked like the dramatic styles from the 1963 film Cleopatra.
In 2008, McQueen worked with Samsonite to make luggage. The bags had unique designs, like a human ribcage or animal patterns. He also collaborated with hat designer Philip Treacy for his shows. The McQ line even partnered with Target for a special collection. This was the first time Target worked with an international designer.
In 2009, the company worked with SHOWstudio to stream a fashion show live online. They also teamed up with the music group Unkle to create music for their McQ collections.
After Alexander McQueen's death, a special magazine issue was released. It was called Spirit: A Tribute To Lee Alexander McQueen. This issue honored his amazing work. It included contributions from famous artists like Lady Gaga.
After Alexander McQueen
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After Alexander McQueen passed away, the company decided to continue. On May 27, 2010, Sarah Burton became the new creative director. She had worked closely with McQueen for many years.
Sarah Burton's first menswear show was called Pomp and Circumstance. It received good reviews. She also launched a women's collection that was praised for being "lighter" and having "a woman's touch." Her first full womenswear show in Paris was a big success. It kept McQueen's style but added a more hopeful feeling.
One of Sarah Burton's most famous designs was the wedding dress. She designed the dress for Catherine Middleton. Catherine wore it when she married Prince William in 2011.
In 2011, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City held a special exhibition. It was called Savage Beauty. This show displayed many of McQueen's incredible designs. It was one of the most popular exhibitions the museum ever had. People loved it so much that they asked for it to travel to other cities.
The Savage Beauty exhibition later came to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. It was on display from March to August 2015.
In 2011, Sarah Burton won the Designer of the Year award. This was at the British Fashion Awards.
In September 2023, Sarah Burton announced she would be leaving the brand. She had worked there for 26 years. In October 2023, Seán McGirr was announced as the new creative director.
Governance
CEOs
| Director | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Gianfilippo Testa | 2022–present |
Creative directors
| Director | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Seán McGirr | 2023–present |
| Sarah Burton | 2010–2023 |
| Lee Alexander McQueen | 1992–2010 |
Retail Stores
Alexander McQueen has stores all over the world. The main company and Kering S.A. operate them. YOOX S.p.A. handles the online store.
- Asia: 23 stores (including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia)
- New Zealand: 1 store (Auckland)
- Australia: 1 store (Melbourne)
- Europe: 7 stores (including London, Milan, Moscow, Paris, & Vienna)
- Middle East: 4 stores (including Abu Dhabi & Dubai, Qatar)
- United States: 8 stores (including Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Charlotte, Atlanta & San Francisco)
- Canada: 1 store (Toronto)
