How Alexander McQueen Became The King of British Fashion
Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution.
Alexander McQueen was and is the undisputed king of British Fashion. From the iconic bumster trousers, mould-breaking models and dramatic catwalk shows, Lee McQueen reinstated Britain’s love for the Punk Rebel. McQueen’s genius lied in his ability to combine wildly contrasting elements so seamlessly such as strength and fragility, light and dark or raw energy versus emotional sensibility.
However, what makes McQueen such a See Fashion favourite is the unconventional route that got him to the catwalk. Alexander McQueen did not have the financial support and educational training we are used to seeing from today’s designers. Still, through true grit and impeccable talent, he was able to turn his dream into a fashion legacy. McQueen proved that you don’t need money and famous friends to showcase on the catwalk (#goals #designerinspiration)
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of his debut at London Fashion Week, here are 5 facts about McQueen’s unorthodox journey to fashion glory!
McQueen grew up in one of London’s most deprived boroughs in the 80s
The young McQueen grew up with his 5 siblings in a council flat in Lewisham — ranked in the top 20% of the most deprived areas in England.
His father, brother and uncle were cab drivers
Despite coming from a family of cab drivers, McQueen preferred making clothes for his sisters and decided from a young age that he wanted to be a designer.
McQueen left school with only one GCSE…
…It was in art
He hustled his way into an apprenticeship at Saville Row
After his mum saw a TV news piece about the lack of apprentice on Saville Row, McQueen began knocking on doors on the acclaimed street. He was then taken on by Anderson & Sheppard, tailor to HRH Prince of Wales.
He got a Masters at Central St Martins without an undergraduate degree
Despite leaving school at 16, the strength of his portfolio and references from his employers in Saville Row helped secure him a place at the prestigious art university. A feat unheard of today.
He always broke the mould
McQueen never shied away from being different and was aptly named ‘l’enfant terrible’ for his bad boy image and theatrical catwalks. He was the one of the first to combine visual art into his showcases and championed a diversity of models including the disabled athlete-turned-model Aimee Mullins.
He was one of the first to experiment with technology in catwalk
McQueen loved using new technology in his catwalks. In 2006 he projected a holographic 3D image of model Kate Moss onto the runway. He also experimented with streaming his catwalk shows live on the internet.
He remained true to his roots
McQueen never tried to hide his East-end roots both on and off the Catwalk. His iconic Dante showcase was held in Spitalfields in reference to his ancestry in the area. Even after his death, the legacy of the East End can be seen in the McQ collection with its flagship store also situated in Spitalfields.
He was the ultimate trend setter
From the skull prints to the infamous ‘Armadillo boots’ in Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ video — Mcqueen knew how to set the biggest trends in fashion.
He always gave it 110%
Despite his reputation for being a party animal, McQueen worked hard to make sure all his pieces and shows were innovative and unique
And this is how Alexander McQueen became the king of British Fashion. See Fashion is all about helping the Alexander McQueen’s of this world to enter into the fashion industry.
We understand that like McQueen, a lot of brands don’t have the resources and tools to bring their ideas to life. Starting a fashion business is hard, especially when you don’t know if your products will perform well in the market.
At See Fashion, we use the power of big data and AI to help creatives understand their customers better. We provide you with the insights and website optimisation tools that you need to stock the right products, at the right time to the right people.
If you would like to learn more about our tools, visit our website!
