McQueen's shocking death

Tragedy rocked the fashion world last week when news of famed designer Alexander McQueen’s death broke on Thursday, Feb. 11.  Nine days after the death of his mother, the 40-year-old designer was found dead in his London apartment, and jaws dropped as to whether or not this was a question of suicide. But on Feb. 15, his death was confirmed a suicide.
His loss came just before his highly anticipated collections were set to show at both New York and London Fashion Weeks. Though the shock and scale of this loss is huge, we join in celebrating the genius of his work and the legacy of his fashion, which will live on forever.
Though the ever-eclectic McQueen has maintained tremendous commercial success, he was most known for his ability to remain avant-garde in a trendy and commercial world. His over-the-top couture and often times bizarre runway shows kept his admirers guessing as to what move he’d make next - and he always outdid himself.
McQueen studied fashion and textile at St. Martin’s College in the 1990s and has since taken British fashion by storm. His genius was so apparent that his entire graduate collection was bought by renowned stylist Isabella Blow in 1994.
Though many of his shows were off-the-wall and somewhat scandalous to conservative fashionistas, they were largely influential and paved the way for the shocking couture runway shows we all long for today. One of his most provocative shows, The Highland Rape collection from 1995, featured an eye-popping blend of tattered and blood-stained dresses, daringly sheer garments, Scottish tartan influences (inspired by his Scottish ancestry) and feminine hygiene paraphernalia, such as what appeared to be hanging tampon strings. The show, which became the first defining moment in his career, evoked both anger and rage and symbolized the “rape” of Scotland by the British.Since then, his shows continued to shock and mystify all at once. He became creative director of Givenchy in 1996 and eventually opened his own flagship stores in London, New York and Milan.
His latest ventures included numerous fragrance collections and a ready-to-wear line, McQ, distributed in 39 countries. In 2003, he was named international designer of the year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Though McQueen’s brilliance can never be replicated, his legacy will continue to grow. His inspiration has defined the silhouette of British fashion and his highly theatrical fashion shows are events sure to be missed.