FreshBump

Lee Alexander McQueen will go down in fashion history as one of the most complex, visionary and iconic designers of our time. His often unruly, always majestic designs and extravagant runway shows never failed to challenge industry norms, leaving his unmistakable mark firmly imprinted on high fashion terrain. Drawing from a diverse and colorful bouquet of inspiration such as theatre, romance, nature and futurism, McQueen’s collections carry an inherent personalized nod to both classic and contemporary styles and an inquisitive, playful exploration of the dichotomies between masculine and feminine, light and darkness, art and garment.

McQueen’s Fairytale Theatre

The late designer’s deep-rooted love of all things romantic, sumptuous and dramatic manifested in his extensive ready-to-wear explorations of theatrical elements. His sartorially formative years as a tailor for famed London costume house Angels and Bermans catalyzed decadent, inspired creations like those seen in McQueen’s mens F09 and womens F08 (otherwise known as the breathtaking ‘The Girl Who Lived in a Tree’) collections, which conjure visions of Jack the Ripper meets Dorian Grey and the Arabian Nights meets Little Red Riding Hood, respectively.

McQueen, Naturally

A distinguishing aspect of McQueen’s designs has always been his unique prints. In a manner similar to how any seasoned fashion enthusiast can spot a Pucci print miles away, McQueen’s complex, nature-inspired patterns are just one of his many memorable contributions to the world of fashion. Referencing everything from reptilian scales and exotic plumage to underwater environments, the designer found inspiration for his fantastic patterns through his enthusiasm for scuba diving and nature documentaries.

Fashionable Futurism

Towards the end of his career, McQueen’s creations showed an increasingly marked fascination with futurism. His stylistic odes to our rapidly progressing civilization are amongst some of his most memorable creations. McQueen’s Rorschach-inspired print dresses of SS09 — one of which InStyle included in their 100 Best Dresses of the Decade — evolved into the otherworldly prints of the following spring, which graced numerous red carpet events after the SS10 collection was released. As eccentric as McQueen’s designs could get, his work often ingeniously managed to straddle the barrier between artistic expression and wearability.

The Marriage of Classic and Contemporary

Throughout his prolific, though tragically curtailed career, the rebellious Scotsman developed quite a reputation for his outrageous shoe designs. From soaring platforms to jewel-encrusted alien booties, McQueen’s footwear collections never failed to kindle simultaneous awe and astonishment in his audience. While his shoes were always characterized by a unique McQueen flair, they were often re-inventions of various canonical styles.

Blurring the Lines

A distinct fascination with anonymity and a more subtle tribute to androgyny often pervaded McQueen’s collections, manifesting in singular, often disturbing masks, headdresses and facial coverings. Although both his mens and womens collections carried obvious overtones of the gender they were intended to clothe, facial shrouds urged the viewer to ponder the mutually nonexclusive natures of male and female. By obscuring the faces of his models, McQueen also encouraged his pieces to speak for themselves, which they do with incredible eloquence and grace.

Aggression, Aestheticized

Often shocking mainstream audiences with his overtly aggressive designs, McQueen saw his interest in things taboo as an artistic expression of the inextricable relationship between romanticism and aggression. Although he sometimes displayed a self-admitted tendency to “go too far,” the designer’s fearless probes into the dark side of humanity captured more than negative attention, and eventually became a definitive element of the McQueen brand.

Whether you loved, misunderstood, or even disliked his work, Lee Alexander McQueen commands respect as an artist who never strayed from his wildly inventive vision. Always true to himself and his art form, it was apparent in all of McQueen’s collections that his true love was fashion. Alexander McQueen surrendered himself to his creations, and the vulnerability, strength, beauty, curiosity and complexity of his persona will live on through his incredible body of work — a fantastic gift left behind for the rest of us to appreciate.

By Sarah Parniak