Thoughts on the Mcqueen Exhibit

Thoughts on the McQueen Exhibit

Alexander McQueen - Dress - [Spring/Summer 1999]
White cotton muslin spray-painted black and yellow with underskirt of white synthetic tulle. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen, Photograph © Sølve Sundsbø / Art + Commerce, For more information please visit blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/dress-no-13/

By Alexandra SUHNER ISENBERG

Editor-at-Large

August 22, 2011 - I am slightly annoyed at the popularity of the Savage Beauty McQueen exhibit at the Met.

While I believe that McQueen deserves this attention (because he was an incredibly talented designer) I feel that the exhibition has become the equivalent of a Hollywood Blockbuster (a comparison made by Suzy Menkes) and that people are attending because they think it is cool, not for a love of the work.

I attended a student fashion show last year and there was a host that introduced each student's work and their inspiration.

Over half of the students' favourite designer or inspiration was Alexander McQueen. I doubt, in fact, I KNOW, that this would not have been the case had he not died earlier in the year.

McQueen's suicide seems to have made him a mainstream star...read more