>Alexander McQueen
Fashion Designer
Alexander McQueen is one of the world's foremost fashion designers, renowned for his innovative pattern cutting, sharp tailoring and spectacular fashion shows. Born in London in 1969 as the youngest of six children, he left school at the age of 16 and went straight into an apprenticeship at the traditional Saville Row tailors Anderson and Shephard, followed by experience at neighbouring Gieves and Hawkes, both masters in the technical construction of clothing. From there he moved to the theatrical costumiers 'Angels and Bermans' where he mastered 6 methods of pattern cutting from the melodramatic 16th Century to the brutally sharp tailoring which has since become a McQueen signature. Aged 20 he was employed by the designer Koji Tatsuno who also had his roots in British tailoring, and a year later travelled to Milan to be Romeo Gigili's design assistant. He finally returned to London in 1994 where he completed a Masters degree in Fashion Design at Central Saint Martins College of Art. His 1994 degree collection was famously bought in its entirety by influential fashion director and taste-maker Isabella Blow. He received considerable critical acclaim, quickly being dubbed an 'enfant terrible' by the international fashion press. He became one of the youngest designers to achieve the title 'British Designer of the Year' in 1996, 1997 and again in 2001. McQueen assumed the position of Chief Designer at the French Haute Couture House Givenchy from October 1996 to March 2001. He currently designs under his own name label, which in December 2000 underwent a partnership with Gucci, who acquired 51% of the company. McQueen has a profound respect for the British Arts and Crafts tradition, and his work combinines an in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, French Haute Couture atelier workmanship and the impeccable finish of Italian manufacturing. Plans for expansion of the McQueen label have included the opening of flagship stores in London, New York and Milan, and the launch of fragrances 'Kingdom' and 'My Queen'. In 2003, he was awarded a CBE and 'British Designer of the Year' for the fourth time. McQueen launched a diffusion line, McQ, in 2005.
Alexander McQueen is represented by Myriam Coudoux/Aimie Witton +44 (0) 207 278 4333
Related SHOWstudio Projects
BLACK
( 1 September 2004)MAC III
(30 July 2004)Watch the filmic version of SHOWstudio's MAC III print, an image born out of an explosive creative collaboration between McQueen,...
DESIGN_DOWNLOAD: Alexander McQueen
(31 March 2004)
IN CAMERA: Alexander McQueen
(16 December 2003)
BELLWETHER
(21 July 2003)
ANGEL
(21 November 2001)Selected Awards
'British Designer of the Year' 1996. 1997, 2001, 2003
'International Designer of the Year', The Council of Fashion Designer's of America (CFDA), 2003
'A Most Excellent Commander of The British Empire' (CBE) by her Majesty the Queen, 2003
Selected Exhibitions
'Goddess', The Costume Institute, New York, 2003
'Radical Fashion', V&A, Museum, London 2001
'Century City', Tate Modern, London, 2001