Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress, autumn/winter 2010–11. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce
Since I was a child I would go visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art with my grandparents to view exhibitions curated by The Costume Institute. My love of fantasy and romanticism intertwined with history and of course fashion originated from these visits. Each exhibit aided in the evolution of my creative spirit, but this year viewing the “Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” was mind-stopping. I of course having worked in fashion for the last thirteen years have followed Mcqueen’s career and always remained a fan of his approach to fashion and how he was able to intertwine various facets of his own knowledge and his perceptions with historical events and the ethereal through transformation.
The Romantic Mind “You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.” —Alexander McQueen
The show followed his career thematically offering a view on his approach to romanticism at the beginning of the exhibit focusing on traditional tailoring. While always staying true to his underlying motive of “empowering women,” the show evolved focusing on the role politics played in collections, as well as his attention to detail, craftsmanship, construction and symbolism.
Romantic Nationalism “The reason I’m patriotic about Scotland is because I think it’s been dealt a really hard hand. It’s marketed the world over as . . . haggis . . . bagpipes. But no one ever puts anything back into it.” —Alexander McQueen
It is almost overwhelming the emotions evoked when walking through the “Cabinet of Curiosities.” Impeccably installed was accessories created by McQueen, hats by Philip Treacy and jewelry by Shaun Leane, with footage of his runway shows showcased within.
Romantic Gothic and Cabinet of Curiosities “People find my things sometimes aggressive. But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of personality.” —Alexander McQueen
Meandering to the next room, were some of the most memorable McQueen shows that had taken place in Paris. My personal favorite was the Kate Moss hologram of her floating during the McQueen show for Fall/Winter 2006.
“It is important to look at death because it is a part of life. It is a sad thing, melancholic but romantic at the same time. It is the end of a cycle- everything has to end. The cycle of life is positive because it gives room for new things,” said McQueen.
The above exemplifies for me everything that McQueen stood for in both his belief system and his approach to fashion. This show was by far my favorite visit to the Met.
Romantic Naturalism “I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that.” —Alexander McQueen
Romantic Primitivism “I try to push the silhouette. To change the silhouette is to change the thinking of how we look. What I do is look at ancient African tribes, and the way they dress. The rituals of how they dress. . . . There’s a lot of tribalism in the collections.” —Alexander McQueen
Romantic Exoticism “I want to be honest about the world that we live in, and sometimes my political persuasions come through in my work. Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes. . . . That’s mundane and it’s old hat. Let’s break down some barriers.” —Alexander McQueen
“Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty” runs through August 7th at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; (212) 535-7710, metmuseum.org.
All photography by The Photograph Studio, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
