Remembering an icon: Why there will never be another Alexander McQueen
One in a million
The world of fashion has been led by numerous avant-garde designers who tenaciously pushed the boundaries and challenged the orthodox, leaving a legacy that has completely revolutionalised the industry—but none has ever left an impact that came close to Lee Alexander McQueen’s.
Known as one of the greatest designers who ever lived, the British luminary’s contribution to fashion is one that can never be imitated. As fashion enthusiasts say, “There will never be another Alexander McQueen.” Each runway show told a profound story that explored complex themes of life and beauty, magnificently expressed through a collection of flawlessly tailored extraordinary designs, which has introduced the industry to a whole new universe of artistic possibilities. From being the pioneer of runway theatrics to his risk-taking tenor, McQueen’s legacy continues to pervade every aspect of the fashion world today.
In memory of the late visionary, we look back at some of his most groundbreaking shows, the tales behind them, and their unwavering impact on fashion.
“Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution.”
-Alexander McQueen
Spring/Summer 1994, Nihilism
Staged at the Bluebird Garage, London, on the 18th of October 1993, Nihilism marked McQueen’s first-ever professional runway show—and he surely knew how to make an introduction that the fashion world could never forget.
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The term nihilism is used to define the philosophical concept that everything is meaningless and the rejection of all fundamental aspects of human existence, such as values, truths, knowledge, and morality—or simply, an extreme form of scepticism that condemns all existence. This notion was visually depicted throughout the collection, with models walking down the runway in mud-smeared ensembles made of cling wrap that revealed the naked flesh beneath. The disregard for propriety and the element of transparency alluded to the concept of nihilism, insinuating that the clothes themselves held no purpose or intrinsic value—in essence, they’re nothing.
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Although, despite his grisly depictions of the theme—which very much caused a stir, having been referred to as “McQueen’s Theatre of Cruelty”—perhaps the most groundbreaking part of the collection was none other than the ‘bumster’ trousers. The intention of the risqué design was to elongate the arch of the back and accentuate the natural curve of the body; hence, they were cut so low at the waist that it revealed the models’ ‘bum cleavage’, as McQueen put it. This very piece pioneered the low-rise jeans trend that would define the noughties.
Autumn/Winter 1995, Highland Rape
Known as the most controversial runway show of McQueen’s career, Highland Rape was the very collection that cemented his infamous reputation as fashion’s enfant terrible. The level of backlash that the designer received was immense, to say the least. Especially given the show’s alarming name, critics were convinced that McQueen was glorifying the rape of women as models were dressed in torn clothing and posing in a distraught manner.
It wasn’t long before the designer was blasted all over the media, with journalists condemning McQueen for being an insensitive misogynist—but that was far from the truth. As a matter of fact, the collection was a commentary on England’s brutal destruction and colonisation of Scotland, which he later clarified in several interviews. Nevertheless, McQueen, as the audacious person he was, remained unfazed.
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His commentary was expressed through garments fashioned from shredded and distressed lace fabrics—which, although the show as a whole was somewhat an obscene and gruesome depiction of the theme, the sheer chiffon fabrics adorned with delicate floral patterns softened its aggressive aspects with an air of grace and femininity, adding the perfect balance to the unsettling atmosphere. McQueen’s family tartan also made its first appearance at this show, which would later become one of his unmistakable signature codes.
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Unbeknownst to the critics, Highland Rape would become the show that caught the attention of LVMH heads to appoint him as the successor of John Galliano at the house of Givenchy in 1996.
Autumn/Winter 1998, Joan
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The macabre atmosphere of McQueen’s shows was amplified to a sinister level for AW98, famously titled Joan. Inspired by the murders of Joan of Arc and the Romanov family, models graced the runway with their eyebrows shaved, their eyes fitted with blood-red contact lenses, and their shaved heads decorated with intricate medieval-style blonde braids that wrapped around their skulls—it was quite a scene to behold.
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Unlike his previous collections, McQueen decided to divert from his typical shock factor tactic of provocative nudity for Joan, as the aim was to portray the story of Joan of Arc and honour her historic valour. Thus, military elements took centre stage for this collection, as seen on the various ensembles made of chainmail mesh as a nod to the heroine’s suit of armour. Androgyny was also a pivotal factor of the collection, attributed to Joan of Arc’s preference for masculine clothes.
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Saving the best for last, the finale of the show took a fiery turn, literally. As the lights dimmed and the music came to a silence, a masked model dressed in a beaded red dress walked to the centre of the runway and began to dance as a ring of fire ignited around her. With her valorous demeanour and only her dress as a source of protection, she epitomised the quintessential McQueen woman—fearless and lionhearted. Whilst the performance was a rendition of the heroine’s execution at the stake, it was also a depiction of her resurrection as a martyr and, centuries later, as the symbol of freedom.
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Spring/Summer 2001, Voss
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Hailed as one of McQueen’s most extraordinary shows of all time, Voss was a commentary on beauty and the extreme measures we would take to preserve it—expressed in the rawest and most transgressive form. The show was deliberately delayed for two hours, leaving the audience uncomfortably waiting with nothing to look at as the sound of a heartbeat echoed through the space.
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When the show finally began, the cube illuminated and revealed a padded interior that resembled a mental asylum. Out came Kate Moss, opening the show in a beige dress with a cascade of ostrich feathers as she walked in an unsettling manner, seemingly deranged. From the models’ bandage-wrapped heads to their exaggerated delirious movements, the show as a whole was intentionally distressing for an authentic delineation of the relationship between insanity and the extremist pursuit of beauty.
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The impact of this show was augmented by the numerous ensembles that were constructed with unordinary materials like feathers and oyster shells, displaying McQueen’s exceptional ability to create flawlessly tailored extraordinary pieces with just anything.
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Of course, in true Alexander McQueen fashion, the show had to end with a bang—and what a bang it was. At the centre of the set was a large glass box, and its walls were slowly lowered for the finale. Once the glass smashed into pieces as it hit the ground, butterflies began flying out and unveiled the nude figure of fetish writer Michelle Olley, gracefully laid on a chaise lounge with her face covered by a gas mask that was attached to several breathing tubes. It was a visual statement of how society treated women who are not of the typical beauty standard—shunned and hidden, closely referencing Joel Peter Witkin’s Sanitarium (1983).
With the box finally revealing Olley beneath, the audience was left to ponder their perception of beauty as they slowly soaked in the disquieting yet mesmerising display. Ultimately, McQueen aimed to transform how beauty is defined in the world of fashion, and his approach was simply phenomenal.
Autumn/Winter 2006, The Widows of Culloden
After two consecutive runway presentations that were rather mundane, McQueen returned to reclaim his throne as Britain’s notorious enfant terrible with the highly acclaimed The Widows of Culloden—and to say that it was spectacular would be an understatement.
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McQueen’s The Widows of Culloden can be described as a sequel to his infamous Highland Rape show, as both dealt with similar themes of loss and destruction. What set them apart was that AW95 expressed the subject matter in ways that were tempestuous and visually violent, whilst AW06 took a softer and romantically poetic approach. Arguably one of McQueen’s most soul-stirring collections, the show was centred around the story of the countless women who were widowed following the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
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As opposed to the provocative and salacious silhouettes in Highland Rape, the show saw an assemblage of meticulously crafted pieces that accentuated the beauty of the female form in a refined, sophisticated fashion. His family tartan returned once again as a nod to his Scottish heritage, constructed into beautifully tailored suits and Victorian-style gowns that were archetypically feminine. Bird headpieces were also a central theme in the collection, referencing McQueen’s ornithological fascinations as a child.
The attention to detail in each piece was beyond conspicuous; everything was scrupulously enriched with lace, bustles, ruffles and fur to add a contemporary touch to the period-inspired collection—although, it was the final few ensembles that really shook the grounds of the fashion world and showed the remarkable extent of McQueen’s artistic progression. In particular, the sublime white-lace bridal gown that was accompanied by a veil with protruding antlers beneath has become one of his most legendary designs. The gown’s underlying tones of destruction remind us that these widowed women were once united in wedlock until the ramifications of war forced them into forlorn solitary.
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Of course, it didn’t end there. As usual, the lights dimmed towards the end of the show, signalling the arrival of the finale. Within the mysterious pyramid that occupied the centre of the stage, a small white glow emerged, slowly illuminating the space as it grew larger in size, taking the form of what seemed like a ghost—referencing the tragic demises of the battle. Soon, the glow reached its full form, revealing to be a hologram of Kate Moss in a billowing white gown. Whilst it symbolised widows’ haunting losses, the hologram was also a representation of the infamous ‘Cocaine Kate’ scandal that made the supermodel the target of obliteration in the media. To close off the show, McQueen walked out to take his final bow wearing a shirt that read “We Love You Kate!” It was historic.
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Spring/Summer 2010, Plato’s Atlantis
Following the extravagant The Horn of Plenty runway show—which not only gave a sartorial retrospective of the last 15 years of McQueen’s works but also of the fashion industry in the 20th century—SS10’s Plato’s Atlantis was the beginning of a new chapter, one that would tenaciously tear into the future. It’s tragically ironic that Plato’s Atlantis also marked his final collection, and his subsequent visions were never realised.
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McQueen was undoubtedly at the pinnacle of his powers with Plato’s Atlantis, utilising technology to its highest capability to create an otherworldly spectacle that offered such a profound message. In collaboration with photographer Nick Knight, the entire show was livestreamed on ShowStudio—a move that was previously unheard of and would unveil the exclusive world of fashion to an audience of millions for the first time. Every designer would later follow suit.
The frenzy reached a fever pitch when Lady Gaga announced that her new single, the ever-iconic Bad Romance, would make its debut at the show, resulting in servers instantly crashing from an overwhelming surge of demand. With McQueen, Knight, and Gaga joining forces, it was the perfect recipe for an earth-shattering sensation. It introduced McQueen’s works to a whole new mainstream demographic, which couldn’t have been more fitting for a collection that looks into the future.
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Partitioned into two themes—with the first half being land, and the second, sea—the show tells a story of an apocalyptic future submerged underwater due to rapidly melting ice caps. Despite the show being held more than a decade ago, the impact of the message has only become more potent by the day, given the current circumstances of our deteriorating environment.
In line with the apocalyptic postulations, the hybridisation of land animals and their marine counterparts was a central theme in the collection, as seen in the spectacular amalgamations of animal hides that were superimposed onto mini dresses and bell skirts with extremely cinched-in waists. Each piece visually encapsulated the many ramifications of a declining biosphere, especially the gothic floral dresses polluted with glistening metallic embellishments, juxtaposing the delicate elements with a sense of destruction to represent the very real threats that our nature encounters. Although McQueen’s message was undeniably sobering, it was delivered through a mesmerising sartorial display that captivated the audience.
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Whilst the garments were certainly extraordinary, it was the complementing accessories and styling that truly brought the show into a whole new dimension. Models were fashioned to resemble extraterrestrial creatures, with their hair styled into giant horns and intricately braided into chaplets. Their eyebrows were completely bleached, and their lips were painted nude to accentuate the prosthetic razor-sharp cheekbones, creating a techno-reptilian hybrid look. Tying everything together was none other than the famed Armadillo shoes, which were unlike anything the fashion world has ever seen.
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Most famously worn by Gaga (as seen in the Bad Romance music video), the deliberately abnormal shoes were 12 inches high and came in a range of striking colours and designs. It wasn’t long before some of fashion’s most daring and avant-garde figures swiftly snatched up a pair or two for themselves, and the fascinating footwear has since become one of his most iconic pieces.
McQueen’s untimely passing was unequivocally one of fashion’s greatest losses, especially at a time that was regarded as the peak of his career. As the ever-evolving visionary that he was, Plato’s Atlantis was meant to be the beginning of limitless potential and true innovation—but it was ultimately the beginning of the end.
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