http://www.facebook.com/notes/andrew-guiyangco/alexander-mcqueen/295212051932Andrew Guiyangco: Alexander McQueen
Today at 2:04pm
It's been about 5 hours since BBC officially announced Alexander McQueen's death, and I've spent a great deal of my time just wrapping my head around what just happened after all what has happened to me this week. I personally don't know the man, I'm not sure if he's actually nice or a douche, and--to be frank--personally I think he looks like a foot. However I'm making this note out of the sudden realization that this foot-looking man has probably affected our lives at some point, purely through his art.
Many of us know of him because we see his outrageous concepts worn by Lady Gaga all the time. Some of us know of him because we're fashion geeks and knows that he has won "British Designer Of the Year" four times since 1993. Me on the other hand simply knew him through Google, while I was digging through some design stuff. I want to say that I knew he was going to be a big influence in my life once I saw his Fall 08 RTW collection. I could vividly remember that out of all the outrageous outfits in his collection, I fell in love at this pink purple gradient Kimono-inspired dress and I told myself, "that's the dress". For me, that dress epitomized the whole show, which is this kind of Art Nouveau/"Orientalism"/Sci-Fi inspired. And to pull off all those things in one show, coming out wanting more? is just pure genius! But one thing stood out to me, while I was at awe at the art coming down the runway--the clothes have character and story. Every single garment that came down in that runway has a character and some sort of a story to tell--which is something I haven't seen done in fashion before (at least not successfully and as bold). After knowing this, I immediately felt a connection as an artist. And from that point on, I have revered him as one of my great idols.
The moment I found out he was dead, I just stared at the computer for a good 20 minutes trying to absorb the shock , denial and anger that I felt.
It's always been my fantasy to meet my great idols one day, and geek out and not wash my hands because my hands have become too awesome for soap! But now I'm angry and sad--mostly angry--because I will never be able to meet and shake hands with Alexander McQueen because foot-face committed suicide. I really thought that if I work hard enough I could hopefully engage in a semi intellectual but mostly awkward conversation with my idols at least before I turn 40... but that's not going to happen with McQueen. I don't own an Alexander McQueen because I can't afford one... I also thought that if I can get a decent job sometime I could somehow--at least--get one... but since his dead, the possibility of me getting one that he designed himself is slim to none. I want to do something, I want other people to do something, I know Gaga will do something, but I am writing this because this is the only thing that I can do as someone who was inspired by such brilliance.
Good bye Alexander McQueen. I hope that somewhere out there you know that you have touched people's lives somehow by simply doing what you do best.
do me a favor and share this!
you can view his collections here
http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/alexandermcqueen/you can watch his fashion shows here:
http://videos.nymag.com/video/Alexander-McQueen-Spring-2010-C#c=CMGVMYSYJKJC19PR&t=Alexander%20Mcqueen%20Fall%202009 ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
