While there have been several books published on the fashion industry and talented couture designers throughout the years, the newly released read on the late British fashion designer and couturier, Lee Alexander McQueen, is looking to be a top-pick this season.
Best known for his unconventional runway shows and in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring techniques, McQueen remains one of my favorite designers to-date and continues to be celebrated in “Alexander McQueen: The Life and the Legacy,” by Judith Watt. Released earlier this week, the book shares an intimate and revealing look at his life, both personal and professional, and his ascent into fashion genius.
What McQueen brought to the fashion world was a new-found drama and extravagance to the catwalk, using special effects and elaborate sets to introduce his exquisite, often exaggerated silhouettes that mixed both fantasy and rebellion. The “Savage Beauty” Exhibition, which ran at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011, featured approximately 100 of these theatrical pieces and seventy accessories from his nineteen-year career, and gave us an up-close and personal glimpse into his private world. I was fortunate enough to make the exhibit on its last day in August, but for those of you who missed it, these bizarrely-beautiful images along with an assortment of his personal drawings are also highlighted in the new book.
McQueen was recognized for his contributions season after season, and he was rewarded with four British Designer of the Year awards and a CFDA International Designer of the Year award in 2003 by his fellow designers and top industry influencers. Even though his final runway presentation took place in February 2010, Alexander McQueen continues to influence today’s fashion and even some of the hottest trends this season.