Alexander McQueen remembered as fashion punk royalty

On Feb. 11, news of Alexander McQueen's apparent suicide shocked the world of fashion to the core. At only 40 years old, his body was found in his home in London. No one could wrap their heads around why a man of such vivacity and creativity would take his own life only days before London Fashion Week. To those closest to him, and quickly to those around the world, it was clear that McQueen's death was linked to that of his mother's, who passed away only nine days prior. Twitter posts following his mother's death indicated the extent of his grief. Her death took a great toll on McQueen and resulted in his devastating suicide.

Alexander McQueen was born March 17, 1969 in the East End of London with the birth name of Lee Alexander McQueen. He was 16 when he left school for several apprenticeships and worked for people such as Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli. In 1994, he moved back to London and enrolled in Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design. There he earned his masters degree in fashion design, and the fashion stylist Isabella Blow purchased his complete graduate collection.

Alexander McQueen's earliest fashion shows earned him the reputation of the "bad boy" of the fashion world. He became known for his use of drama, technology, innovation, and fantasy in his collections. In 1996 he became the head designer of Givenchy, but his out of the box designs and rebellious tactics did not fit well with the line, and he left in March of 2001. By the end of 2007, McQueen had boutiques in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan, and Las Vegas. He received the title of "British Designer of the Year" four times between 1996 and 2003.

It is obvious that Alexander McQueen has had a serious impact on the world of fashion. He is one of the few designers who have been able to stay avant garde, while accomplishing worldwide commercial success. He is known for his outlandish fashion shows and his love of the extreme. He has opened the doors for many designers to take risks and make runway shows more theatrical than just cut and dry.

From the outside world of fashion, at Marist's own Fashion Department, McQueen's death has had similar reactions.

Professor Lydia Biskup, the Marist Fashion Department's internship coordinator, said, "There was shock and sadness when the news of Alexander McQueen's death circulated throughout the Fashion Program at Marist College. Alexander McQueen was a master of technique, but he did not follow what one might consider 'rules,' when he designed."

McQueen's rule breaking is one of the characteristics that he will be most remembered for.

"He cared little about what the fashion establishment thought of him and that more than even his brilliant designs impressed me," fashion professor Sonia Roy said. "He was a punk kid from a working class neighborhood and fit no part of the profile for a successful designer. More impressive to me was that as successful as he got, he was still that same punk kid."

While the affects of Alexander McQueen's death will be seen worldwide, they are also seen on campus, in the Fashion Department. McQueen has been an inspiration to many, including myself, as he beat the odds and became a designer that did not follow the typical "rules of fashion," but rather, paved his own way.