Alexander McQueen born 17 March 1969 (d. 2010)Alexander McQueen CBE - born Lee Alexander McQueen - was an English fashion designer.
Born in the East End of London, the son of a taxi driver, McQueen started making dresses for his three sisters at a young age and announced his intention of becoming a fashion designer. McQueen left school at 16, landing himself an apprenticeship with Savile Row tailors Anderson and Shepherd, then working for Gieves & Hawkes and the famous theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans.
Whilst on Savile Row, McQueen's clients included Mikhail Gorbachev and Charles, Prince of Wales. He also spent a period of time working for Koji Tatsuno before travelling to Italy and working for Romeo Gigli.
McQueen returned to London and applied to London's most prestigious fashion school, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design to work as a pattern cutter tutor. Due to the strength of his portfolio he was persuaded by the Head of the Masters course to enroll on the course as a student. His graduation collection in 1991 was bought in its entirety by influential fashion stylist Isabella Blow, and was said to have persuaded McQueen to change his name from Lee to Alexander (his middle name) when he subsequently launched his fashion career.
McQueen's early runway collections developed his reputation for controversy and shock tactics (earning the title 'enfant terrible' and 'the hooligan of English fashion'), with trousers aptly named 'bumsters', and a collection entitled 'Highland Rape'. It has also been claimed that he was on income support and that he needed to change his name for his first show so that he could continue to receive benefit.
The president of LVMH, Bernard Arnault caused a stir when he instated McQueen as head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano. McQueen toned down his act 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.
Some of Alexander McQueen's accomplishments include being one of the youngest designers to achieve the title British Designer of the Year, which he won four times between 1996 and 2003. He has also been awarded the CBE, as well as being named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards.December 2000 saw a new partnership for McQueen with Gucci Group acquiring 51% of the company, and McQueen serving as Creative Director. Plans for expansion have included the opening of stores in London, Milan, and New York, and the launch of his perfumes Kingdom, and more recently My Queen. He collaborated in recent years with Puma, MAC cosmetics and Samsonite. January 2006 heralded the birth of McQ – Alexander McQueen – a denim based ready to wear line (womenswear, menswear and accessories).
In summer 2000 McQueen married his twenty-four-year-old lover George Forsyth, a documentary filmmaker. The ceremony, which took place in Ibiza on a yacht owned by a friend of supermodel Kate Moss (who was also bridesmaid), was covered by the press in much the same way as any other celebrity wedding. The relationship however did not last
Alexander McQueen was found dead at his London home on 11 February 2010. McQueen had killed himself. He was just 40 and days away from presenting a new collection in Paris.
On 3 February, he wrote on his Twitter page that his mother had passed away 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 death also came just three years after his close friend, Isabella Blow - who plucked him from obscurity and helped him become a star - killed herself.
Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue, said Mr McQueen had influenced a whole generation of designers.
His initial London inquest confirmed that McQueen hanged himself in a wardrobe after leaving a note. Westminster Coroner's Court was told a post-mortem examination had said he had died due to asphyxiation and hanging. His final inquest on 28 April 2010 confirmed that McQueen hanged himself after taking a mix of cocaine, tranquillisers and sleeping pills, adding that he had a history of depression, anxiety and insomnia, had attempted suicide before and researched killing himself on the internet prior to his death.