R.I.P. - ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

ALEXANDER MCQUEENReports from London say that Alexander McQueen was found dead in his home Thursday morning.   While it is too soon to know what happened - deepest condolences to his family.  McQueen was 40 years old.ALEXANDER MCQUEEN RUNWAY

McQueen was known to be a troubled soul who had struggled with personal demons for years.

What a tragedy for this young talent to leave us so soon.    While never achieving the commercial success he could have, there was such a strong momentum building.   It seemed that Mr. McQueen was finding a niche, and a way to commercialize his dark view of fashion. GAGA IN MCQUEEN FOR "BAD ROMANCE"  Lady GaGa had recently put McQueen on the map for millions around the world,  as her fans obsess over her GAGA EMERGES IN ALEXANDER MCQUEENoutrageous costumes - much of which is from McQueen. 

The designers website was off-line at the time this article went live.

Rest In Peace Mr. McQueen.

Creatures from the McQueen Lagoon!

McQUEEN SPRING 2010 - PHOTO- MARCIO MADIERACan someone give Alexander McQueen some happy pills?  The self appointed bad boy of British fashion, bankrolled by Gucci Group, Mr. McQueen dragged us through another season of making pretty models look ugly through a one note gimmick.     

For Spring 2010, the inspiration was an apocalyptic view of the future, where melted ice caps have created some type of hybrid human-sea creature.  WHAT?  The girls looked like some strange breed of antelopes, with long legs swallowed by ugly shoes creating a hoof like effect.  Hair followed suit, styled into mini horns or antlers.   The overall look is a cross between two movie images - Silence of the Lambs, and The Mothman Prophecies.  

Mr. McQueen, Can't you just design beautiful clothes for women who spend alot of money?McQUEEN - SPRING 2010 - MARCIO MADIERA   What is the problem?   Maybe you missed your calling as a costume designer for science fiction movie studios.   It's not too late!  Please do us all a favor and stop wasting runway time with these twisted visions of a misogynist's view of women.   I think the next year of your life would be better spent on an analyst's couch, rather than creating two more collections like this!  

I remain convinced McQueen is overrated as a designer, at least of Women's RTW.   I have owned a few pairs of his designs for Puma - which are great, but don't let a friend wear this RTW.  JENNIFER CONNELLY FOR BALENCIAGA Another design house in the Gucci Group stable, Balenciaga, showed a better version for Spring 2009 of a futuristic dream than this McQueen collection could ever be.    Jennifer Connelly is the face of Balenciaga and she showcased those beautiful creations, which by the way were an homage to the Balenciaga archives from the 30's.   Mr. McQueen, time to do something original - and commercially viable - pronto!

Alexander McQueen and his Royal Flush?

Alexander McQueen presented his Fall 2009 collection in Paris last week.   The designer showed a collection that raised eyebrows but probably not department store orders.   While McQueen fashions himself the "rebel" of the fashion world, there is nothing like a global economic meltdown to put everyone in a reactionary mood that  compels even the most avant-garde fashion fan to think  "design a saleable collection!".Leigh Bowery

Models where costumed with oversized plastic lips that resembled the late performance artist Leigh Bowery.   Bowery was a major scene stealer during his heyday of the 80's.   He had a major influence on Boy George and many others in the design and music world.    Leigh was also a muse to painter Lucien Freud whose nude paintings of the obese Bowery are haunting.

The trouble with a collection like the one McQueen showed is that it was full of shock value and void of collection value.   In other words - what is the point?   It is almost as if McQueen was saying "No one buys my collection anyway - so let me do something to at least get press".    I wouldn't be the first to say that McQueen is a misogynist.   One may argue that some of the great designers have tortured their women for years.   Thierry Mugler for example was known to cut a torturous corset to achieve the hourglass curves his suits were known for.   The major difference is, Mugler's designs tortured women in order to make them beautiful.   McQueen dresses his women in costumes that mock them, for what purpose exactly?  The show looked like a b version of a cross between Victor & Rolf and John Galliano.   No offense meant to either of those collections.

Alexander McQueenI'm not buying McQueen's rebellious image - and unfortunately for him neither do the women who should be buying his collection.    Th powers that be at PPR/Gucci group who owns the label must just roll their eyes as they wait for this Peter Pan to wake up and realize he is not a kid anymore.   Let's hope for  his sake his collections for Target and Puma are bringing in the bucks.   I think the only flush associated with this collection would involve plumbing and not poker!