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Alexander McQueen, born Lee McQueen on 17 March 1969, is one of the most influential English fashion designers. Trained as an apprentice with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, he mastered six methods of pattern cutting, from 16th-century flamboyant styles to the sharp contemporary tailoring that became his signature.
Born in the East End of London on 17 March 1969, the son of a taxi driver, Alexander, whose real name is Lee McQueen, started running up dresses for his three sisters at a young age and announced his intention of becoming a top designer. McQueen went on to leave school at 16, landing himself an apprenticeship with top Savile Row tailors Anderson and Shepherd, then working for Gieves & Hawkes and the famous theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans. While on Savile Row, McQueen's clients included Mikhail Gorbachev and Charles, Prince of Wales. The rumor is that McQueen graffitied four-letter words into the lining of the Prince's Savile Row jackets. When he was 20, McQueen went on to work for Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli. McQueen applied to London's most prestigious fashion school, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design for a Masters Degree. Although he had no formal education, he was immediately admitted on the strength of his portfolio. He graduated from in 1991.
Before opening his own studio in East London in 1992, McQueen developed a reputation for controversy and shock tactics (earning the title "enfant terrible" and "the hooligan of English fashion"), with trousers aptly named "bumsters", and a collection entitled "Highland Rape". His provocative designs attracted a small but loyal clientele, including such influential fashion figures as stylist Isabella Blow, who purchased everything from his first collection, and was said to have persuaded McQueen to change his name from Lee to Alexander when he launched his fashion career. (It has also been claimed that he was on income support and that he needed to change his name for his first show so that he could continue to receive cheques.) The president of LVMH, Bernard Arnault caused a stir when he instated McQueen as head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano. McQueen toned down his act at Givenchy, but continued to indulge his rebellious streak, causing controversy in Autumn '98 with a show which included car-robots spraying paint over white cotton dresses, and disabled model Aimee Mullins striding down the catwalk on intricately carved wooden legs. McQueen stayed with Givenchy until March 2001.
Some of Alexander McQueen's accomplishments include being one of the youngest designers to achieve the title "British Designer of the Year", which he won four times between 1996 and 2003. He has also been awarded the CBE, as well as being named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. December 2000 saw a new partnership for McQueen with Gucci Group acquiring 51% of the company, and McQueen serving as Creative Director. Plans for expansion include the opening of stores worldwide and the launch of his perfume, Kingdom.
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McQueen's reputation for controversy rests on a conventional foundation. Born in the East End of London, the son of a taxi driver, he started running up dresses for his three sisters at a young age, left school at 16, and apprenticed with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, then Gieves & Hawkes and the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans; his Savile Row clients included Mikhail Gorbachev and Charles, Prince of Wales. At 20 he worked for Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli, then applied to Central Saint Martins for a Masters degree and was immediately admitted on the strength of his portfolio despite having no formal education, graduating in 1991. The definition credits him with mastering six methods of pattern cutting, from flamboyant 16th-century styles to sharp contemporary tailoring — the tailoring is presented as the skill, and the provocation as what he did with it.
Before opening his own studio in East London in 1992, McQueen developed a reputation for shock tactics, earning the titles enfant terrible and the hooligan of English fashion, with trousers named bumsters and a collection entitled Highland Rape. His provocative designs attracted a small but loyal clientele, including stylist Isabella Blow, who purchased everything from his first collection and was said to have persuaded him to change his name from Lee to Alexander. In 1996 Bernard Arnault instated him as head designer at Givenchy, succeeding John Galliano. McQueen toned down his act at Givenchy but kept his rebellious streak, causing controversy in Autumn 1998 with car-robots spraying paint over white cotton dresses and disabled model Aimee Mullins striding down the catwalk on intricately carved wooden legs. He stayed until March 2001.
McQueen was one of the youngest designers to achieve the title British Designer of the Year, winning it four times between 1996 and 2003; he was also awarded the CBE and named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. December 2000 saw a new partnership: Gucci Group acquired 51 percent of the company, with McQueen serving as Creative Director, and plans for expansion included opening stores worldwide and launching his perfume, Kingdom. The sequence is the modern designer career in miniature — apprenticeship, art school, a provocative independent label, a Paris house appointment, and finally majority backing from a luxury group while keeping creative control of his own name.
McQueen left school at 16 and apprenticed with Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, then worked for Gieves & Hawkes and theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans, before working for Koji Tatsuno and Romeo Gigli and graduating from Central Saint Martins in 1991.
Bernard Arnault instated McQueen as head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano. McQueen stayed with Givenchy until March 2001.
McQueen was one of the youngest designers to win British Designer of the Year, which he won four times between 1996 and 2003, and was awarded the CBE. In December 2000 Gucci Group acquired 51 percent of his company, with McQueen serving as Creative Director.