Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Exhibition: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

If I'd ever got the chance to go to this exhibition, I would have. Unfortunately I don't live in New York or have the funds to even visit! 

The 'Savage Beauty' Exhibition, displayed from May 4th to 7th August 2011 was organised to celebrate the late Alexander McQueen and his famous and consistent contributions to fashion. Born in 1969 in London, McQueen started his fashion career at an apprenticeship at the traditional Saville Row tailors Anderson and Shephard. He made his way through several other jobs and apprenticeships before studying at Central Saint Martins where he completed a Masters degree in Fashion Design. He showed his MA collection in 1992 which was then bought by Isabella Blow, and his rise to fashion stardom began, becoming one of the youngest designers to be awarded the British Designer of the Year' award in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003.

McQueen's nineteen year career was shown in the exhibition, with pieces taken primarily from the Alexander McQueen Archive in London, with some pieces from the Givenchy Archive in Paris as well as some private collections.


The Metropolitan Museum of Art website has a page about the exhibition, with images of selected pieces and more information about the exhibition and Alexander McQueen himself. See here.


I've chosen some of my favourite pieces here:

'Oyster' Dress, Irere, Spring/Summer 2003

Dress, Sarabande, Spring/Summer 2007

Dress, VOSS, Spring/Summer 2001

Dress, No. 13, Spring/Summer 1999

Ensemble, Autumn/Winter 2010-11

Dress, VOSS, Spring/Summer 2001

Ensemble, Supercalifragillisticexpialadocious, Autumn/Winter 2002-3

Dress, Platos Atlantis, Spring/Summer 2010

Jacket, It's a Jungle Out There, Autumn/Winter 1997-98

'Coiled' Corset, The Overlook, Autumn/Winter 1999-2000