ChildhoodBorn in Lewisham, London on the 17th of March, 1969 to Scottish parents Ronald (a taxi-driver) and Joyce (a social sciences teacher), Lee Alexander McQueen grew up as one of six children, of which he was the youngest.
From a young age, McQueen was responsible for sewing and designing clothing (especially dresses) for his older sisters as well as other textiles related domestic chores around his household. From the ages of five to eleven, Lee attended Carpenters Road Primary School and during his time there announced his intentions of a future as a fashion designer. McQueen then went on to attend Rokeby Secondary School in Canning Town, London, of which he dropped out of in 1985 at the age of 16. McQueen left school with only one O - Level (ordinary level) subject qualification in Art. |
CareerAfter leaving school, McQueen accepted an apprenticeship with Savile Row Tailoring, a high-end men and women's tailor and then later with Angels and Bermans, a supplier of theatrical and television costumes. Using the credentials he earned at Savile Row and Angels, McQueen was able to further is career working with fashion designers, Koji Tasuno and Romeo Gigli. Lee later enrolled in the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, England and graduated with a master's degree in fashion design. His entire 1992 Graduation Collection was bought by fashion icon, Isabella Blow, who is in large part credited with his discovery.
McQueen began to really step into the spotlight after he famously dressed David Bowie on the cover of 'Earthlings' and Bjork on the cover of 'Homogenic'. In 1996 McQueen was appointed as head designer at Givenchy, leaving in 2001 after the contract ended. Lee (or Alexander at this point) was known to think very little of the brand and even stated that the contract was "constraining his creativity". In the years that followed, Alexander's unconventional and risqué runway shows gained him stardom and notoriety in the world of fashion with notable achievements such as four - time winner of the British Designer of the Year award and one - time winner of the International Designer of the Year award presented by the Council of Fashion Designers of America Inc. |
DeathOn the 11th of February, 2010, McQueen was pronounced dead after found by his housekeeper to have been hung in his home. Paramedics were called to the scene and McQueen was proclaimed dead, the cause being suicide through hanging. Many believe the cause of his suicide to have been the cancer-riddled death of his mother, Joyce, nine days prior at the age of 75 whom was known to have been of incredible importance to her son. American photographer and friend of the designer, David LaChapelle, stated that at the time of his death, Alexander "was doing a lot of drugs and was very unhappy." McQueen left a suicide note for his loved ones stating simply "Look after my dogs, sorry, I love you, Lee."
A funeral service was later held for the designer on the 20th of September, 2010 at St. Paul's Cathedral. 2,500 guests attended including famous personalities such as Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Campbell, Björk, Stella McCartney and Anna Wintour. |