Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is a well-known British fashion brand. It was founded by fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992 and was acquired by Gucci Group (now Kering Group) in 2000. Its current product lines cover men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, glasses, perfumes, etc. Its sub-brand McQ is mainly aimed at the young people market.

· Brand History ·

Lee Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) was born in a blue-collar family in East London, England , and was the youngest of six children. He was interested in fashion design since he was a child, and often used class time to draw clothes and even made clothes for his three sisters. In order to realize his dream, he dropped out of school at the age of 16 and came to Savile Row, which is famous for its gentleman's suit customization, as an apprentice.

From 1984 to 1988, he studied clothing making in several old custom shops , including Anderson & Sheppard and Gieves & Hawkes, which served the British royal family, and Berman's & Nathan's, which made costumes for musicals such as "Les Miserables" and "Miss Saigon".

After leaving Berman's & Nathan's, Lee McQueen was hired as a clothing pattern maker by Japanese fashion designer Koji Tatsuno, and then became an assistant to Italian fashion designer Romeo Gigli .

In 1990, Lee McQueen returned to London, England, and enrolled in Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design , where he obtained a master's degree in fashion design two years later . His graduation works were all bought by the famous fashion critic Isabella Blow and used as a magazine publication, and the two established a long-term friendship.

Lee McQueen founded his eponymous brand "Alexander McQueen" in 1992 , and launched his first women's collection "Taxi Driver" the following year , making the "Bumster" low-rise pants quickly become a hot topic in the fashion industry. He moved his studio to Hoxton, London , and began to work with fashion stylist Katy England .

In 1996, Lee McQueen signed a contract with Givenchy , becoming the second British designer to work for the French fashion house after John Galliano , responsible for Givenchy's haute couture and ready-to-wear collections. In the same year, he won the British Designer of the Year Award for the first time, and later won the award again in 1997, 2001 and 2003.

In 2000, Gucci Group acquired 51% of Alexander McQueen's shares. McQueen continued to serve as the creative director of his own brand and appointed his assistant Sarah Burton as the chief designer of the women's wear department . The following year, McQueen left Givenchy to focus on his own brand.

With the financial support of Gucci Group, Alexander McQueen continued to expand his business and opened flagship stores in London, New York, Los Angeles, Milan, Las Vegas and other places.

In 2003, Lee McQueen won the International Designer of the Year Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and the Order of the British Empire (CBE) from the Queen of England. The following year, Alexander McQueen launched his first menswear collection "Textist" , officially entering the men's fashion industry.

Alexander McQueen first launched the Novak series of handbags in 2005. The handbag was inspired by Kim Novak, an actress in Hitchcock's film Vertigo . The stitching on the bag is delicate and precise , and the design is both retro and futuristic . It is available in a variety of materials such as calfskin, crocodile leather and canvas. It is still regarded as a classic among handbags. In order to meet the needs of young people, Alexander McQueen launched the McQ product line

in 2006 , covering men's wear, women's wear and accessories. In 2007, Lee McQueen launched the Britannia Skull box clutch , using the brand's iconic skull element as a buckle decoration . Two years later, it launched the Knuckle box clutch , adding , adding more decorative elements such as gems and flowers , which attracted the attention of many people in the fashion industry.

On February 11, 2010, Lee McQueen hanged himself at home , and Sarah Burton took over as creative director . The following year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York held the " Savage Beauty" exhibition to pay tribute to Lee McQueen. The same exhibition was held again at the Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK in 2015. In 2018, Lee McQueen's personal documentary "McQueen" was released.

Chronology of major events ·

· Representative Series ·