Alexander McQueen

On February 11, the fashion world lost one of its most beloved designers. Only 40-years-old, Alexander McQueen, four-time recipient of the British Fashion Designer of the Year, decided to commit suicide. The shocking news about his death soon went around the world. Through many years, his artistry had drawn much attention. The primary reasons were the boldness and attitude of his designs. Together, these defied what had until then been accepted in the world of fashion.

Being the youngest of six siblings, McQueen was born on March 16, 1969. Fittingly, the place of birth was London East End. The son of a humble taxi driver, McQueen dropped out of school when he was 16 years old. Upon discovering that there were only a few apprentices in traditional tailoring, the young boy ended up working at Savile Row. This is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, which is most famous for traditional men’s clothing.

Initially he trained at Anderson and Sheppard. Following that he moved to Gieves and Hawkes, after which again he started working with theater costumiers Berman and Nathan. The credit for his precision in creating form fitting clothes is often given to his experience working at Savile Row.

At the age of twenty, McQueen started working with Japanese designer Koji Tatsuno, whose specialty was making clothes from antique materials. Italian designer Romeo Gigli then took him in as an apprentice, and Gigli was quick to notice McQueen’s special talents. In particular, Romeo Gigli noticed his tendency towards designs that are unconventional and far-out.

After working for many years, McQueen returned to school by taking his MA at Central St. Martin’s College. The clothing collections he did as a student at Central St. Martin’s were bought by magazine editor and fashion enthusiast, Isabella Blow.

Alexander McQueen’s wide ranging background and colorful experiences help explain why he ended up making such a dramatic impact on the world of fashion. He started our early, worked for many designers, and thereby learned his trade. In other words, he became successful not only through a natural talent, but also by hard work and patience.

Crystal Robertson is a fashion writer and a longtime fan of Alexander McQueen. To find out more about Alexander McQueen sandals, please visit http://www.myromansandals.com/category/sandal-brands/alexander-mcqueen/