Tribute: Alexander McQueen (1969 - 2010)

 

Lee Alexander McQueen, was born on March 17, 1969 and passed away on February 11, 2010. Alexander was a British fashion designer and couturier. He is known for having worked as chief designer at Givenchy from 1996 to 2001 and for founding his own Alexander McQueen label. His achievements in fashion earned him four British Designer of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003), as well as the CFDA's International Designer of the Year award in 2003 

 

 

McQueen was openly gay and said he realized his sexual orientation when he was six years old. He told his family when he was 18 and, after a rocky period, they accepted his sexuality. He described coming out at a young age by saying, "I was sure of myself and my sexuality and I've got nothing to hide. I went straight from my mother's womb onto the gay parade".

   

 

In the summer of 2000, McQueen had a marriage ceremony with his partner George Forsyth, a documentary filmmaker, on a yacht in Ibiza. The marriage was not official, as same-sex marriage in Spain was not legal then. The relationship ended a year later and McQueen and Forsyth maintained a close friendship.

 

McQueen received press attention after the May 2007 suicide of international style icon Isabella Blow. Rumours were published that there was a rift between McQueen and Blow at the time of her death, focusing on McQueen's under-appreciation of Blow. 

 

  McQueen's death was announced on the afternoon of February 11, 2010. That morning, his housekeeper found him hanging in his home on Green Street, London W1. The Paramedics were called and they pronounced him dead at the scene.

 

Just days before McQueen’s death London Fashion Week, though he was not scheduled to appear there, and nine days after the death of his mother, Joyce, 75, from cancer. David LaChapelle, a friend of the designer, said that McQueen "was doing a lot of drugs and was very unhappy" at the time of his death. 

 

 

"Look after my dogs, sorry, I love you, Lee."

McQueen left a note saying  

 

The Metropolitan Police stated that the death was not suspicious, but did not confirm that the death was a suicide. On February 17, 2010, Westminster Coroner's Court was told that a post-mortem examination found that McQueen's death was due to asphyxiation and hanging. The inquest was adjourned until April 28, 2010, where McQueen's death was officially recorded as suicide. McQueen, who had been diagnosed with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, took an overdose prior to hanging himself. He had taken drug overdoses in May and July 2009. Prior to hanging himself with his "favourite brown belt", the inquest recorded that he had slashed his wrists with a ceremonial dagger and a meat cleaver. Coroner Dr. Paul Knapman reported finding "a significant level of cocaine, sleeping pills, and tranquilisers in the blood samples taken after the designer's death."

 

 

On behalf of Lee McQueen's family, Alexander McQueen [the company] today announces the tragic news that Lee McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand, has been found dead at his home. At this stage it is inappropriate to comment on this tragic news beyond saying that we are devastated and are sharing a sense of shock and grief with Lee's family. Lee's family has asked for privacy in order to come to terms with this terrible news and we hope the media will respect this.

 

"RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx."

McQueen wrote on his Twitter page on February 3, 2010, saying that his mother had died the day before.

 

 

"Awful week"

McQueen Twitted four days later.

 

He also wrote that he had had an outing with friends and said, "Friends have been great", adding: "Now I have to somehow pull myself together". His mother's funeral took place on February 12, 2010. McQueen is survived by his father, three sisters, and two brothers.

 

 

McQueen's funeral took place on February 25, 2010 at St. Paul's Church, Knightsbridge, West London. His ashes were later scattered on the Isle of Skye.

 

A memorial was held for McQueen at St. Paul's Cathedral on September 20, 2010. It was attended by Björk, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Naomi Campbell, Stella McCartney and Anna Wintour amongst 2,500 other invited guests. On February 18, 2010, Robert Polet, the president and chief executive of the Gucci Group, announced that the Alexander McQueen business would carry on without its founder and creative director.

 

 

The BBC reported that McQueen had reserved £50,000 ($82,000) of his wealth for his pet dogs so they could live in the lap of luxury for the rest of their lives. He also bequeathed £100,000 ($164,315) each to four different charities; these include the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in south London, and the Blue Cross animal welfare charity in Burford, Oxfordshire.