Alexander McQueen Tribute

Lee Alexander McQueen, (16 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was an English fashion designer known for his unconventional designs and shock tactics. McQueen worked as the head designer at Givenchy for five years before founding the Alexander McQueen and McQ labels. McQueen's dramatic designs, worn by celebrities including Rihanna, Björk and Lady Gaga, met with critical acclaim and earned him the British Fashion Designer of the Year award four times.Born in 1969 in Lewisham, London, to a taxi driver and Joyce, a social science teacher, McQueen was the youngest of six children.He grew up in a council house. He started making dresses for his three sisters at a young age and announced his intention to become a fashion designer. He said that one of his earliest memories was from around the age of three when he drew a picture of a dress on a piece of bare wall which had been exposed by peeling wallpaper in the council house where his family lived. McQueen jokingly called it his first design sketch.McQueen attended Rokeby School and left with one O-level in art at 16, going on to serve an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, before joining Gieves & Hawkes and, later, the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans.McQueen's clients included Mikhail Gorbachev and Prince Charles.The president of LVMH, Bernard Arnault caused a stir when he instated McQueen as head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano. Upon arrival at Givenchy, McQueen insulted the founder by calling him "irrelevant". Thus, his first couture collection with Givenchy was unsuccessful, with even McQueen telling Vogue in October 1997 that the collection was "crap". McQueen toned down his designs at Givenchy, but continued to indulge his rebellious streak, causing controversy in Autumn 1998 with a show which included car-robots spraying paint over white cotton dresses, and double amputee model Aimee Mullins striding down the catwalk on intricately carved wooden legs. McQueen stayed with Givenchy until March 2001, when the contract he said was "constraining his creativity" ended.McQueen collaborated with Puma to create a special line of trainers for the shoe brand.McQueen became the first designer to participate in MAC's newest promotion: cosmetic releases created by fashion designers. The collection, McQueen, was released on 11 October 2007 and reflects the looks used on the Autumn/Winter McQueen catwalk. The inspiration for the collection was the 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.By the end of 2007, Alexander McQueen had boutiques in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan, and Las Vegas. Celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker and Rihanna frequently wear Alexander McQueen clothing out to events. Lady Gaga often incorporates Alexander McQueen pieces in her music videos.McQueen's death was announced on 11 February 2010, shortly after he was found dead at his home on Green Street, London W1, where paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. On 3 February 2010, he wrote on his Twitter page that his mother had died the day before, adding: "RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx." Four days later he wrote that he had had an "awful week" but said "friends have been great", adding: "now i have to some how pull myself together".His mother's funeral is due to take place on 12 February 2010.

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