McQueen and I

This weeks film club featured the documentary 'McQueen and I', this was the first time I had watched this film and I really enjoyed it. I feel that the documentary really gives an insight into not only McQueen as a brand but also as a person. I found what I learnt from the documentary regarding McQueen's childhood and life prior to his name becoming one of the grandest fashion houses in the world, particularly compelling and insightful. The glamour and high speed life you may link with McQueen was not so in his early life. McQueen grew up in Stratford, East London with his mother, father and 5 siblings where he led a very 'normal' childhood. His hobby, sketching garments inspired by birds of prey he saw from his bedroom window, thought to be the inspiration for many of his collections in his later life.

The documentary featured many of the closest people in McQueens life, his brother, closest friends, former boyfriend, former employers, and above all a companion that although he did not have a romantic relationship with, could only be described as a soul mate, Isabella Blow.

Blow, a fashion journalist was an extravagant, vivacious character, but below the surface had deep issues of her own. The 'I' in 'McQueen and I' Isabella Blow was described in the film as an 'aristocrat and fashion anarchist, lawless and irreverent'. She was sacked from both her jobs at magazine companies Tatler and American Vogue. February 1992 was when Blow first came face to face with McQueen's work which she immediately fell in love with, she spotted something particular and special within his designs. McQueen later sold his collection to Blow, which is the point I would say their companionship stemmed from. Blow took mcQueen under her wing and began marketing him to the press. Throughout their friendship the pair undeniably experienced their ups and downs, but it was made clear throughout the film that the pair thought a lot of each other. Blow described McQueen as 'A wild bird with a good silhouette'. I wasn't aware before watching this documentary that 'Alexander' was not McQueens name but in fact his middle name, his birth name being, Lee. Isabella explained she called him 'Alexander' as it made her think 'Alexander, the great' and she explained to him that his clothes were more likely to sell if he used the name 'Alexander'.

Now known as the 'Rebel King of Fashion' McQueen was a sensitive soul and often struggled to face the criticism he was dealt. It was made clear through the documentary just how much of a showman he really was, his fashion shows were always so captivating and theatrical but often spurred a lot of controversy particularly from the press. Many of McQueen's shows had a shock element to them, however two specific moments of his career which stand out for being controversially shocking which feature in the film, his S/S 1997 and Spring 2001 RTW collections. The 1997 collection was based on a 100 foot catwalk, the floor being swamped in water. The collection was inspired by puppet like dolls and in the image to the right, a supermodel, Debra Shaw walked the catwalk with a monocle, which McQueen explained was used in order to give her a jerky, mechanical movement. However critics saw connotations of slavery within this act and McQueen was accused of misogyny, not for the first time. I really do believe that it was this shock factor, that McQueen thrived on, which featured in so many of his shows, that has made him such a memorable designer.

Alexander McQueen - Spring 2001 RTW

Sadly following the suicide of Isabella Blow in May 2007, Alexander McQueen also committed suicide by hanging himself in his wardrobe after taking a concoction of pills including cocaine, sleeping pills and tranquillisers in February 2010. Thankfully his name, legacy and brand lives on.

If you have an interest in either Isabella Blow or Alexander McQueen or just have a general curiosity regarding the documentary 'McQueen and I' it can be found on youtube so to watch it simply follow the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNK2mKT8n9o

Love, Isabella x 

Photo Credits: Google images