Posthumous British Fashion Award for Alexander McQueen

On Tuesday evening 7 December the British Fashion Awards will be presented in London. Today one of the winning designers was already announced. Alexander McQueen will receive a posthumous award (The Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design prize) for his contribution to fashion. During the evening this will be celebrated by a film, directed by Nick Knight, featuring McQueen’s most iconic pieces.

‘This film is my way of speaking about a very unique and important person who changed my life. My desire was to speak in some way about the dark and the light contained within Lee, and within us all,’ Nick Knight told Vogue.

‘The Outstanding Achievement Award celebrates the exceptional talent of an individual who has contributed to the British fashion industry, both internationally and here in the UK, throughout their career. There was only one person we felt we could recognize with this award this year – Lee McQueen’, Harold Tillman, Chairman of the British Fashion Council, explained to Vogue.

During his career Alexander McQueen was awarded the Designer of the Year prize at the British Fashion Awards four times. In the past years The Outstanding Achievement in Fashion Design award was already won by fashion heroes like Stephen Jones, John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood.

(Vogue)

Alexander McQueen Catwalk Fashion Show Paris SS2011

It was the first McQueen collection former assistant Sarah Burton had made on her own and she did a great job.

She presented a collection inspired by Mother Earth that was slightly lighter than we are used to from McQueen himself. Burton showed baroque-details, golden embroideries, high collars and pointy shoulders

Colorful prints in orange and ochre were combined with black and white. There were lots of sheer designs and many creations had nature influences, like leafs, feathers, peacock feathers and wheat.

The hair of the models was done in a special way; it was braided like a woven basket and looked stunning.

After the show everyone was enthusiastic, even the photographers thought it was a perfect McQueen show. So, job wel done Burton, McQueen would be proud.

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Alexander McQueen Catwalk Fashion Show SS2011

I wasn’t there personally, but I just wanted to show you some pictures of the new menswear-collection of Alexander McQueen. It seemed unthinkable that the label could do without the founder, McQueen – who died four months ago -,  but his righthand Sarah Burton took over. She is the one who knew the best how he thought and worked.

It was a low key presentation of a subtle reworking of the house aestetic. Cut away jackets, a red and gold brocate coat, deconstructed redingotes, cashmere sweaters and striped pants. Burton played a subtle game between high and working class.

CFDA-Awards 2010

The CFDA-awards are considered to be the Oscars of the international fashionworld and is organised by the Council of Fashion designers of America. It’s one of the hottest tickets on the fashion calendar, and the awards are much coveted.

The Swarovski Awards, which are given to emerging talent, went to Jason Wu favourite of Michelle Obama.  He fought off competition from Joseph Altuzara and Prabal Gurung who won in the womenswear category. Richard Chai landed the menswear prize and Alexander Wang received the award for accessories.

The biggest prize of the night, Womenswear Designer of the Year, was won by Marc Jacobs. Christopher Bailey picked up the International Designer of the Year Prize.

There were also some special awards handed out. Michael Kors, the only winner to receive a standing ovation, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Anna Wintour. Legendary model Iman was given the Fashion Icon Award.

Sarah Jessica Parker, who was wearing an Alexander McQueen-dress hand-picked for her by the label’s new head of design, Sarah Burton led a tribute to the late, great designer.  She was followed by a parade of some of McQueen’s most iconic designs.

McQueen’s label will live on

Alexander McQueen’s fashion label will live on despite the designer’s suicide last week. PPR, the French luxury group which has a controlling stake in the designer’s companies, said it planned to build on the McQueen brand.

Francois-Henri Pinault, president of PPR said at a press conference in Paris: “The Alexander McQueen trademark will live on. This would be the best tribute that we could offer to him.”

Robert Polet, president of PPR’s Gucci subsidiary under which McQueen worked, said the autumn/winter collection the designer was completing before his death will be shown at Paris fashion week next month.

Remembering McQueen #5

Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel designer: “I found his work very interesting and never banal. There was always some attraction to death, his designs were sometimes dehumanized. Who knows, perhaps after flirting with death too often, death attracts you.” (E!)

Remembering McQueen #4

Andre Leon Talley, Vogue editor-at-large: “It is a great loss. It’s a tragedy for the fashion world. He was truly an innovator and a master. McQueen had incredible talents and gifts and at the same time, he was a great poet. There are very few poets left.” (Wall Street Journal)

Remembering McQueen #3

Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief, Vogue: “We are devastated to learn of the death of Alexander McQueen, one of the greatest talents of his generation. He brought a uniquely British sense of daring and aesthetic fearlessness to the global stage of fashion. In such a short career, Alexander McQueen’s influence was astonishing—from street style to music culture and the world’s museums. His passing marks an insurmountable loss.” (Source: E!)

Remembering McQueen #2

Anne Christensen, Fashion Director NYT: “Walking into whatever venue McQueen staged his show in, there was always a sense of excitement. His shows were always about beautiful clothes with incredible tailoring and details, but also about the thrill of astonishing his audience. (Source: The Moment-blog)

Remembering McQueen #1

John Galliano: “McQueen was daring, original, exciting. He shook up the establishment with his creativity and understood what it takes to be a great British ambassador for fashion. I admired him very much. He was a fashion revolutionary that, like me, made the journey from [Central] Saint Martins to Paris where he put his own unique mark on the industry. He will not be forgotten.” (Source: WWD)

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