McQ by McQueen

Alexander McQueen was born in London on March 17th 1969 as the youngest of six children. He left school at the age of 16 and was immediately offered an apprenticeship at the traditional Saville Row tailors Anderson and Shephard and then at Gieves and Hawkes, both masters in the technical construction of clothing. From there he moved to the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans where he mastered 6 methods of pattern cutting from the melodramatic 16th Century to the razor sharp tailoring which has become a McQueen signature. Aged 20 he was employed by the designer Koji Tatsuno, who also had his roots in British tailoring. A year later McQueen travelled to Milan where he was gainfully employed as Romeo Giglis design assistant. He finally returned to London in 1994 where he completed a Masters degree in Fashion Design at St. Martins.

 

McQueen's sudden death on 11 February 2010 has shocked and upset the fashion world. Robert Polet, Chief of the Gucci Group spoke with McQueen prior to his death when the two men agreed that the McQueen label had acquired solid brand recognition that went beyond the name of the designer.

 

"'That will be my legacy'," McQueen said, according to Polet. "'That's something I will always leave behind'."

 

The Alexander McQueen label is to continue to uphold the fashion designer's legacy.