SavageBeauty*

Gallery View Title Gallery, Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Alexander McQueen Dress, VOSS, spring/summer 2001

Alexander McQueen, Widows of Culloden, autumn/winter 2006–7

AlexanderMcQueen(British,1969-2010) Dress, VOSS, spring/summer 2001

AlexanderMcQueen(British,1969-2010) Dress, No. 13, spring/summer 1999

Alexander McQueen Dress, The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10 

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969-2010); Dress, autumn/winter 2010

Alexander McQueen Dress, Irere, spring/summer 2003

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969-2010) Dress, Sarabande, Spring/Summer 2007

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010) Eshu, autumn/winter 2000–2001

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010)The Girl Who Lived In The Tree, Autumn/Winter 2008–9

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969-2010) Ensemble, The Girl Who Lived in the Tree, Autumn/Winter 2008–2009

Gallery View – Romantic Nationalism Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

From May 4 through July 31, the Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is hostingAlexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. This landmark exhibit pays tribute to the late designer Lee Alexander McQueen, whose groundbreaking design and technical prowess launched an unprecedented career. The show covers McQueen’s work from his Masters project at Central Saint Martins in 1992 to the posthumous collection following his untimely death in February 2010. Located on the second floor of the Met, the exhibition is housed in the Cantor Galleries which have been newly reappointed in accordance with McQueen’s fascination with all-things Victorian. Curated by Andrew Bolton, extensive contributions have also been made by both Alexander McQueen and Givenchy fashion houses, as well as many of the late designer’s friends and colleagues. Their contributions have lent this venture a profound sense of intimacy that makes the show all the more moving.For McQueen, fashion was not simply to create pieces that were fashionable, but to tap into an overarching narrative both in origin and execution. Drawing inspiration from the Victorian Romantic and Goth movements as well as 1950’s haute-couture, the designer’s ingenuity and daring in conceptualization was matched only by his superb technical skill as a craftsmen. His extensive background in tailoring allowed him to experiment freely with unexpected materials such as painted medical slides or parachute silk, the nature of which immediately evokes a visceral reaction from the viewer. With the dexterity of a sculptor, he manipulated his clothing to draw attention to the strength of women. He was quoted as saying “I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.” However, McQueen’s daring was not limited simply to design. His awe-inspiring runway shows were renowned for incorporating an aspect of performance art that imbued the pieces with a narrative.Savage Beauty incorporates several videos and interviews exemplifying this avant-garde approach, including his stunning Dress #13 from the 1999 spring/summer collection. This simple white dress, worn by model Shalom Harlow, was spray-painted black and yellow by robots during the runway show, in essence portraying the violence inherent the act of the creation.Savage Beauty is a must see not only for those with an eye for fashion, but for anyone with an appreciation for art, passion, and craft. This exhibition is not only beautifully curated but is a moving retrospective of a pioneering artist.

Source Whitewall Magazine