McQueen and Embroidery
Although Alexander McQueen was known for his exquisite tailoring, I've not seen much mention of the extent to which he deployed embroidery and beading to embellish his garments. However, in touring the retrospective of his work at the Met, it was apparent that embroidery was one of the creative tools that McQueen used often.
The workmanship on these pieces is incredible and cannot be fully appreciated unless you see them in person. All I can say is that they were utterly breathtaking in both conception and execution.
And as I walked through the show, I thought of my friend Susan Elliot of Plays with Needles who is incredibly passionate about embroidery and beading. These photos are for her!
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and runs until July 31, 2011. To read my review of the exhibition, please visit Fashion Projects or click here.
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| McQueen kimono inspired coat spring/summer 2001 |
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| From McQueen's show Autumn/Winter 2008-2009 |
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| From McQueen's Dante collection Autumn Winter 1996/97 |
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| From McQueen's Ecclect Dissect Collection for Givenchy Autumn/Winter 1996-1997 |
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| From McQueen Voss collection, spring/summer 2001 collection |
McQueen Masks
Alexander McQueen once said "Life to me is a bit of a [Brothers] Grimm fairy tale". A gothic fairy tale was what came to mind when I toured the retrospective of McQueen's work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday.
Intensifying this dark mood are the unusual masks fitted to many of the mannequins on display. Constructed out of linen, leather, lace and a variety of other materials, these masks custom made by artist Guido Palau added a haunting and ghostly aura to the show.
McQueen often incorporated masks into his runway shows himself. The first incarnation thereof was a fencing mask worn with a liquid metallic floor-length gown shown in the McQueen spring/summer 1995 collection shown in London. He revisited masks and face coverings many times over the span of his career, including in fall/winter 2009 when he designed a chain-mail long-sleeved top and built-in face mask that was worn underneath an evening gown in an avant-garde graphic print.
The Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition is now open to the public at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and runs until July 31, 2011. In my review for Fashion Projects, I explain why this exhibition is cutting edge in presentation of fashion as art. To read that review, visit Fashion Projects at www.fashionprojects.org or click here.
Intensifying this dark mood are the unusual masks fitted to many of the mannequins on display. Constructed out of linen, leather, lace and a variety of other materials, these masks custom made by artist Guido Palau added a haunting and ghostly aura to the show.
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| Mask by Guido for Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the Met |
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| Mask by Guido for Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty |
The Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibition is now open to the public at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and runs until July 31, 2011. In my review for Fashion Projects, I explain why this exhibition is cutting edge in presentation of fashion as art. To read that review, visit Fashion Projects at www.fashionprojects.org or click here.