Fashion Designer, Alexander McQueen


    Alexander McQueen is one of the most influential designers in the fashion industry. He endured a difficult childhood in a lower-class family in London. McQueen grew up openly gay, and later revealed that he was sexually abused by his brother-in-law when he was young. 
    McQueen is known for breaking the 'rules' of fashion, saying "You've got to know the rules to break them. That's what I am here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition". Although he passed away in 2010, he has been very influential in the fashion industry. He has taught other designers to be daring and extend their boundaries --- that playing it safe in the industry will not get you anywhere. McQueen pushed these boundaries through bizarre, abstract fashion statements and wild, outlandish performances on the catwalk. He even designed a prosthetic wooden leg for one of his amputee models, as seen below. McQueen loved incorporating a variety of cultures into his designs as well, being especially fascinated with the Japanese Kimono. 
    Connecting to this course, Alexander McQueen was influenced by the Man vs. the Machine, a reoccurring theme seen throughout his work. His spray-painted dress design is most noted as a critique on fast fashion and consumer culture. McQueen loved the idea of keeping tradition, and with this dress, he made a statement on how fast fashion is ruining the meaning behind design: that people will buy clothes because they can or because it goes with the trends instead of appreciating the meaning behind these fashion designs. Additionally, this dress made a statement on the use of machinery in fashion, being that fashion is now often solely being designed to sell and make money. 
    Alexander McQueen took his own life in 2010 shortly after the death of his mother. Despite his passing over a decade ago, McQueen remains a prominent influence in the fashion industry. 







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