ALEXANDER MCQUEEN: IN HIS OWN WORDS

A look at some of Alexander McQueen’s most memorable runway moments, along with some of his quotes from a 2007 Bazaar feature on his philosophies of design, and life.

“You have to suppress your ego. I like the concept of dressing people. I used to not care whether people bought the clothes or not, but I kind of like it now. I wouldn’t label that commercialism; it’s more like I do this work because I want people to wear it.”

Another runway scene from the seminal They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

“I find beauty in the grotesque, like most artists,” McQueen says. “I have to force people to look at things.”

When it came to shoes, wearability was not one of his strong suits. The ability to inspire, however, was. 

“I used to do it to shock people, to provoke a reaction, but now I just do it for myself. The shows always reflect where I am emotionally in my own life.”

Rainbow brights for spring 2008. “I care about my work,” McQueen said “There are only a handful of designers that influence other designers, and I have to keep one step ahead of the game.”

For spring 2004, the designer collaborated with Michael Clark, who choreographed and performed in a darkly glamorous dance marathon, a reenactment of Sydney Pollack’s movie They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?, that showcased both models and dancers.

The designer with Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Annabelle Nielson.

–Courtesy Bazaar