Alexander McQueen (4)
Alexander McQueen managed to create a highly respected brand in the fashion industry. His extraordinary talent and the hard work brought him recognition within the UK as well as internationally. He was appointed British Dsigner of the Year in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003, International Designer of the Year by CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) in 2003, A Most Excellent Commander of The British Empire’ (CBE) by her Majesty the Queen in 2003, GQ Menswear Designer of the Year in 2007.In December 2000, Alexander McQueen sold 51% of his personal brand to Gucci Group, continuing to work for them as Creative Director.
The most interesting feature of this Alexander McQueen tote is that it’s expandable, thanks to the two pairs of snappers hidden in the side folds of the purse. It’s nice to have such a bag, which is smaller when empty, but which can accommodate even bigger items if needed. For example, I don’t always need to take my netbook with me, but when I do, I like to put it in my purse, because I don’t like to carry two bags. Besides its practical side, this tote bag is very appealing. This red color Alexander McQueen uses for his handbags is absolutely stunning and the multiple zips, pockets, snappers, buckles and stitches are chic. The lining is made of electric blue fabric, creating a cool contrast with the red leather. The details of this handbag were inspired by a motorcycle jacket.
Bag size: 28 cm width x 42 cm depth; 15 cm handles with 18 cm drop.
Bag price: $1685
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A clutch is a must-have in any woman’s wardrobe, not because you can stuff a lot of items inside, but because over-sized bags and purses don’t match very well formal outfits. Can you imagine yourself wearing a tote bag or a shopper bag with a cocktail dress or with a formal business outfit? I doubt about that. On the other hand, there are a few items which we might need, so this is what a clutch is for. Alexander McQueen Blue Kaiser clutch is made of patent blue leather with silver frame. The frame is embossed with the Alexander McQueen logo and it is applied only on the two flips that open the two compartments of this oblong and elegant purse. The cotton and leather lining is of the best quality, making this bag a good choice for elegant women who are concerned with quality as well as with their overall look and style. The Blue Kaiser clutch costs $925, the same as the Black Kaiser clutch, which is identical in shape. The third purse in this series is the Satin Stripe Kaiser clutch, which is made of blue and red striped satin and which costs $950.
The Love Red Faithful satchel is a beautiful bag with lots of zippers and pockets and with a fold-over flap zip opening featuring two zippers which meet in the center, thus making it possible to open with either the left or the right hand. The dark silver button detailing looks stylish and expensive. Expensive it is, as this bag costs $1480, which is not exactly what many of us would call pocket change. The purse has cotton lining and an interior zip pocket. The 8 cm top handle drop is thick enough to be comfortable, even in case you’re the kind of girl that carries heavy stuff in her purse. The Alexander McQueen Love Red Faithful satchel also has a 34 cm shoulder handle drop, welcome if you need to use both hands.
If red is not your color but you still love this purse, you can get the Black Faithful satchel which looks just like the red one and which is slightly cheaper: $1450.
Bag size: 38 cm width x 25 cm height (for both the red and the black one)
If we were to define Alexander McQueen’s work with one single word, that would be “theatrical”. Unconventional and shocking, his art attracted a lot of controversy. Shocking or not, his ideas managed to ignite the imagination of enough fashion experts, as to be the youngest fashion designer ever who was awarded the British Fashion Designer of the Year. Actually he won this award four times, the first time being in 1996, when he was only 27 years old.
The Dazed & Confused Episode
Dazed & Confused is a fashion magazine about models with physical disabilities. Alexander McQueen accepted to work as an art director for one of the issues of this magazine. The show that was inspired by his cooperation with Dazed & Confused featured Aimee Mullins, an athlete who had suffered an amputation of both her legs from the knees down at the young age of only one. For this show, Aimee wore a pair of hand-carved wooden legs, which everybody in the audience mistook as wooden boots. Aimee Mullins herself was impressed by this show and by its spirit of empowerment, as she confesses in this following video:
Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2010 Show
You don’t know: it’s a skin, it’s a dress, it’s a costume? Or maybe it’s the exteriorization of an attitude. The almost scary makeup and hair styles make those otherwise beautiful models look quite threatening. Move your sight from their head to their toes and you’ll understand: cuteness and smiles have nothing in common with walking on these monstrous hills. Despite all these, if you take away all drama and effects, you end up with perfectly wearable outfits for all moments of the day. I think this is the real art in fashion: make a memorable show, but give me something I want to buy and wear in my daily life. I’d wear many of the dresses in Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2010 show any time. Based on electric blue and black, the fabrics remind of an exotic bird’s feathers. One could easily believe those girls were born in their dresses, that’s how well they are tailored to fit.
Alexander McQueen has died! Long live Alexander McQueen!
On February 11th 2010, Alexander McQueen was found dead in his home. He committed suicide. When private persons die, their name continues to live only on the funerary stone. Public persons’ names have a life of their own, so when such a person passes away, the name keeps on living as if nothing happened. And if you happen to be the bearer of a name that’s been bought by a company like Gucci, you can be sure it will last long after you’ll be only a far away memory in the minds of a few people.
Despite initial uncertainty, the parent company of the Gucci Group, PPR, announced that there would be an Alexander McQueen show in Paris in the spring of 2010, and that the brand would continue without its founder, setting off speculation over who would succeed him. (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/alexander_mcqueen/index.html)
Bags by Alexander McQueen
Although he is mostly famous for his clothing creations and for his spectacular fashion shows, Alexander McQueen created several lines of handbags featuring amazing shapes and colors and top quality materials and execution. Here are a few of what I consider being among his best creations:
- Love Red Faithful Satchel
- Blue Kaiser Clutch
- Red Medium Faithful Tote
- Black Python Faithful Tote
- Midnight Faithful Tote
- Ziggy Mercury Chain Bag
