Lee Alexander McQueen
March 17, 1969 ~ February 11, 2010
When I heard of Alexander McQueen's suicide I pulled out this image of his skinny legged jeans that I have carried with me for years. Why I keep these things I'll never know but once in awhile their relevance emerges. I love denim; the look and feel of it; it's color, practicality and adaptability. This is the image that made me to start paying attention to Alexander McQueen. They were the advance-guard of the current fascination with skinny leg jeans. I look at these incredible jeans and marvel at his show videos on his website, and my heart breaks a little more for the loss of this brilliant but troubled angel of dark and moody complexity.
I am not given to Gotham Chic and prefer clean, simple lines.
That I loved his work speaks to the allure of his immense artistry and skill. I was intrigued by the workings of his mind, the meticulous precision of his work and, of course, his breathtaking shows. His original blend of futuristic design, storytelling and technology created a self-contained world that we were allowed to observe. His shyly distracted appearances at the end of of his shows suggests that the audience was just one of those things that came with the heady turf he roamed. I had the feeling it would have been just as satisfying for him to present these grand spectacles to a small group of friends.
The recent passing of his mother and the suicide of his friend and mentor Isabella Blow in 2007 left him emotionally devastated. From everything I have read, these two women were his anchors. Without them, why not take his leave? What or who could keep him grounded in the pain of his loss? Not his brothers, sisters or father, not his thriving business nor the anticipation of continued creative output could keep him here on this earth. The loneliness must have been excruciating.
An 2004 article in The Guardian in which Joyce McQueen interviewed her famous son and youngest child reveals a mother and son who delighted in each other. From the image that heads the article by award-winning photographer Dan Chung to its content, it's clear that this mother and son delighted in one another. Ironically, his greatest fear was dying before her.
With a Sun, Moon and Mercury in Pisces and Scorpio ascending, McQueen embodied the deep mysteries of these two water signs. Pisces often expresses the urge to move beyond set boundaries, easily living in a dreamy other worldliness. Blended with the intense sensuality of Scorpio - and his aggressive Aries Venus - it's no surprise that the clothes he created for women were shrouded in ethereal mystery, witchy courage and confrontational sensuality.
I do not condone the taking of one's own life but I do believe there can be extenuating circumstances that render this physical experience unbearable. And also that there are people whose spirits are so expansive they can tolerate life in a human form but for so long. They arrive on this plane, make their mark and then move the heck on. I have read a bit about the current stressful astrological progressions in his life. With the loss of his mother and mentor, there were certainly many pressures overwhelming him. But if only he had been able to get through the next few months of grief and healing. With the jovial, expansive Jupiter moving through Pisces for a year bestowing good luck and blessings on the children born of that sign, things would most certainly gotten better for him. In just one more moment, help and lighter, better days were just around the corner...with just a little more time. I like to think so anyway.
But it was not to be for Alexander McQueen. Instead, we are left with Plato's Atlantis, his mysterious and magnificent Spring/Summer 2009 collection inspired by his love of deep sea diving. His alien looking models teetering on hoof-like shoes created a sensational uproar. How very Piscean of him.
Images of McQueen's very last collection for women and, according to many, his most alluring and wearable, can also be seen at the above website. The brilliance this complicated artist will remain unparalleled for decades to come.
Peace,
LAFF
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