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Alexander McQueen is dead at the age of 40. Most news agencies are reporting that the cause of death was suicide by hanging, although McQueen’s office only confirmed his death, not suicide: “It is a tragic loss. We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family.” The Daily Mail was one of the first to break the news, and they have a decent summary of his life:
British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead after taking his own life. The 40-year-old committed suicide just three years after his close friend, Isabella Blow – who plucked him from obscurity and helped him become a star – killed herself.
A source at McQueen’s office this afternoon confirmed his death, saying: ‘It is a tragic loss. We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family.’
His death comes just days before the start of London Fashion Week and weeks before he was due to unveil his new collection at Paris Fashion Week on March 9. Born in the East End and the son of a taxi driver, McQueen got his training in tailoring in Savile Row, eventually making suits for Prince Charles, and won the distinction of being named British designer of the year four times between 1996 and 2003.
He went on to be awarded the CBE, as well as being named International Designer of the Year at the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. McQueen became the ‘enfant terrible’ of the fashion world after he was famously discovered by Isabella Blow, who was fashion director of Tatler. She bought all the clothes he made for his graduate show for £5,000 and they were delivered to her in black binliners.
Miss Blow killed herself in May 2007 after taking an overdose of weed killer after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had attempted suicide several times by then.
McQueen was forced to deny rumours of a rift between the pair at the time of her death, saying: ‘It’s so much b******s. These people just don’t know what they’re talking about. They don’t know me. They don’t know my relationship with Isabella. It’s complete bull****. People can talk; you can ask her sisters.… That part of the industry, they should stay away from my life, or mine and Isabella’s life. What I had with Isabella was completely disassociated from fashion, beyond fashion.’
McQueen was so distraught by Isabella’s death that he dedicated his spring summer 2008 show at Paris fashion week to his late friend. The invites to the show were poster-size illustrations Richard Gray. It depicts a triumphant Blow, in a McQueen dress and a Philip Treacy headdress, in a horse-drawn carriage ascending to heaven.
Miss Blow had said: ‘My relationship with McQueen began in 1994, when I went to a Saint Martins graduate show. I couldn’t get a seat, so I sat on the stairs and I was just watching, when I suddenly thought: I really like those clothes, they are amazing. It was his first collection.’
‘It was the tailoring and the movement which initially drew me to them. I tried to get hold of him and I kept calling his mother, but he was on holiday.’
She kept saying: ‘He’s not here, he’s not here.’ She told him: ‘This crazy person is trying to get hold of you.’ I eventually got to meet him and I decided to buy the collection: I bought one thing a month and paid him £100 a week. He’d bring an outfit in a bin liner, I’d look at it and then he’d come to the cashpoint with me.’
Born Lee Alexander McQueen, the designer was the youngest of six children.
Openly gay, McQueen – who once described himself as the ‘pink sheep of the family’ – left school at 16 and went to work at Savile Row’s Anderson & Sheppard, whose clients included Prince Charles and Mikhail Gorbachev, after he saw a television program about the apprentice shortage in traditional tailoring.
He went on to work for Gieves & Hawkes, theatre’s famous Angels & Bermans costumiers, and then worked in Japan and Italy. He returned to London in 1994, hoping to work as a pattern cutter tutor at London’s prestigious Central Saint Martins fashion school. Thanks to the strength of his portfolio he was persuaded to enroll in the course himself.
After graduating McQueen set up his own label based in the East End of London. With the launch of his ‘bumsters’ trousers with a waistband so low that the buttocks are revealed, McQueen made his label famous through tabloid headlines.
He went on to be named head designer at Givenchy in 1996, succeeding John Galliano, before joining forces with Gucci, who bought 51 per cent of his company
[From The Daily Mail]
Damn, this is sad. McQueen’s fashion were favored by everyone from Madonna to Kate Blanchett. He was a designer in the vein of Gianni Versace, in my opinion, where his own eccentricities and lifestyle became part of his fame and part of his popularity. If it was suicide by hanging, it makes me think that he truly, genuinely wanted to die, rather than make some kind of cry for help. So sad.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Alexander McQueen, Deaths
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60 Responses to “Alexander McQueen, fashion designer, commits suicide in London”
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sad sad sad…
RIP
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wow this was truly shocking
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This is fucking terrible. McQueen was a rare and original genius in the fashion world. I’ve always adored his concepts and designs.
Just terrible.
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McQueen is my favorite designer. This is very sad and I hope he is at peace now. It’s a sad day for fashion. His unique eye and creativity will surely be missed, no doubt.
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“Miss Blow killed herself in May 2007 after taking an overdose of weed killer after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.”
–What’s the right dose of weed killer? Strange way for them to put it.
Sad story all around.
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Im totally shocked. He was incredible. 2010 is turning out to be just like 2009…sigh. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
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My Gosh how terribly sad indeed. The man was one of the best designers and one of my faves. RIP
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Oh, this breaks my heart. I have always loved McQueen’s designs. It’s just so terribly sad.
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Oh my God how horrible! He was truly an AMAZING and gifted man. His demons with Isabella Blow were just too much for him …
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How sad. RIP Alexander.
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This is wrong on so many levels.
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Favorite designer of all time. And he was only getting better. So young. So sad. This is an awful thing. But what beauty he added to this world before his exit.
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I can’t say anything other than what’s being said here: sad, shocking and terrible. One can only hope his soul is at peace.
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Say WHAAAAAAAAAAT? Tragic, tragic, tragic.
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This is really sad. RIP Alexander.
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So sad! What happened? I mean, why?
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This is so sad, he was one of my fav designers. It is a sad sad day in the fashion world
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This is so incredibly sad. My heart breaks for anyone who is in so much pain that they would rather kill themselves than continue to live. So so so damn sad.
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Of all the fashion designers out there he was among the very top tier– a true visionary. It was always thrilling to see what his collections would evoke, and I was always blown away by his exquisite artistry. Truly a heartbreaking loss for the masses who adored him.
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Apparently his mum died a few days ago. Guess he couldn’t cope. Poor guy.
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Very sad, I feel for his friends and family.
Stephie, I thought the same thing, odd wording about that!
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So sad when someone gets to that level that suicide is the only way. He was so young!
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NOOOOOOOOOOOO…… NOT ALEX…!!! This world is fucked. Wild at heart and weird on top. RIP.
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He was a genius. What a terrible, tragic waste.
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How sad, I loved looking at his runway clothes and daydreaming of wearing them. He was truly unique. Rest in peace.
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No no no no no nooooooooooooooooooooo
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The 2009 year of death continues into 2010, and one of the truly gifted hardworking and magical individuals has waved a sequined glove goodbye to this world to join the parade of talent in the sky.
This is just so sooo sad. I didn’t know it would touch me this much, but the shock of it has me crying. Rest in Peace, beautiful one.
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Soft and slow god let him go…rest in peace sweet soul.
I pray God lifted your sweet soul before you realized what you were doing.
Suicide is never the answer…sometimes life is too much for some to bare.
God bless you sweet man.
Your mother embraces you forever now. And we will remember your BRILLIANCE!
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Cannot believe this… it just can´t be, I am literally crying my heart out.
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I understand…but I am heartbroken.
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and everyone was shitting on him during Golden Globes 2010 when Cameron Diaz wore his amazing red dress! Well, once gone, everyone says ooo i loved his designs, he was amazing…
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very sad, he was a great designer, one of the best
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So incredibly sad. I loved McQueen.
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This is horribly tragic. The Avant Garde and Haute Couture worlds have lost their edge, their wild boundary, their most creative visionary.
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I did not care for his designs. At all. But I won’t go on about that, this is not the time to be ugly, this is a tragedy. He was incredibly creative and still young. A terrible loss.
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I can’t believe it! he was one of my favorite designers. so talented and skilled! what a tremendous loss to the industry.
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He was cool and his clothes were amazing. Impeccable cut and design.
RIP
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how sad – he was so young. i loved his clothes and his sense of whimsy.
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A true design genius! Very tragic and sad.
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Gone to soon, R.I.P.
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I woke up with a phone call telling me about this and I nearly fell out of the bed. I’m still completely shocked and heartbroken. He was my favorite designer, the only person in the industry who never lost his rebeliousness. He was also the most delightful person, as I could attest in the few chances I had to exchange some words with him.
The industry won’t be the same without you, Lee. I hope you finally found peace, or whatever you were looking for. Anyway, you will be sorely missed by those who loved you and admired your work. Rest in peace, Lee and thanks for all the beauty you created.
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Shocking and Tragic. Tears. Can’t believe it.
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This is so sad, I read he lost his mother recently..I wonder did he have anyone in his life–any love..
yeah, to hang yourself, you don’t want to be here..he may have been hiding depression..
sad..
rip
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Sad day. Sad NYFW.
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@Tru, he has a long time partner, George Forsyth. They “got married” in 2000. The wedding was very publicized at the time. Kate Moss was his bridesmaid. It has been reported that George was the one who found Lee’s body, but I don’t know if it is true.
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Oh Alexander, why?
Why you, when there is so much shameless godawful shit in the world that needs crazy-arse high functioning freakazoids to beat it down into insignificance with giant lizard-coloured mallets bejewelled with Colombian emeralds and platinum and icing sugar??
Every lampless window in the edifice of creativity is a victory for Them, the ones who don’t even notice.
Alexander, I am wearing your perfume.
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I have a beautiful McQueen shirt. It is pale pink chiffon with a darker pink ribbons, it is very versailles. I will love it all the more.
This is a sad sad situation. What a terrible loss. How awful that he was at such a dark place this was his chosen path. May God rest his soul
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I cannot fathom what it’s like to lose a parent. He had his spring collection preview ready & with fashion week coming soon there was something to look forward to. @Goosie said it better.
I wish depression & suicide awareness was more prevalent than Cialis/QuickTrim/air freshener commercials. Chances are that he had planned this out-people who are intent on suicide don’t inform their loved ones-in fact, the usually go to great lengths to assure them everything’s fine.
Goodness. My heart goes out to those close to him.
@ me-the David Lynch quote was completely perfect.
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Kelly, that was rather beautiful!
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Kelly, that was quite well written. This is just so sad. A real talent.
RIP, AMQ – your light went out tonight, but your impact will be felt for generations. Genius is a rare thing, not enough of them to celebrate. This is a real loss, as real uncompromising artists are rare and few.
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R.I.P. and so long, friend.
Never wore his clothes, never went to a show, never set foot in his stores. But I followed him in the fashion press, and it never took a telescope or microscope to see and to know he was an original – one of the true ones.
That he passed so young, perhaps – certainly – before his prime, is tragic. This world could use a few million more originals like him in all its various industries and fields of study and endeavour: culinary, literature, fashion, finance, art, media, sports….
When a rare one like this goes, so goes our world, microscopically perhaps, but it moves a little further into a darkness. He brought light. He’ll be missed.
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@Kelly… Your beautiful words broke my heart for the second time today…
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R.I.P.
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May his soul rest in perfect peace.
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Oh my!I….I cannot believe it!Alexander is my inspiation.I’ve always wanted to model for him.This is such a huge loss.I will miss him so much.Rest In peace Al,you are always in my heart=’[
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this sucks!
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RIP
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I read that his mom had died a few days before, and that he couldn’t get over it.
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A true design!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Your beautiful words broke my heart for the second time today…
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