Alexander McQueen, the hooligan of fashion – MENDO

Not only were his shows theatrical, they were also very provocative. The critics would often call him an enfant terrible or even the hooligan of fashion, maybe also referring to his typical English football fan look. The things McQueen showed were unseen and often obscene. Models were wrapped in trash bags, breasts were often exposed, his bumsters (pants showing a rear cleavage) became a hit around the early 2000s. His fourth collection was named “Highland Rape”, and referred to the clearances (he called it genocide) in the Scottish Highlands of the 1800s. The show was not only controversial because of its title; many critics were merciless about the styling which showed the models as if they were just raped and deranged. In McQueen’s eyes, it was rather a feminist statement and a reference to his own ancestral history.

These controversies have surrounded him throughout his career, but it has contributed to his success. In his first collection, “Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims”, as a graduate of Central Saint Martins MA course (for which he did not have the required bachelor’s degree) he used the story of the gruesome murders of Jack the Ripper as an inspiration. This was an immediate success as British Vogue editor Isabella Blow bought his entire collection for £5000,-. It meant the start of their friendship and McQueen’s career as a fashion designer.

Like Jack the Ripper and Highland Rape, many of McQueen’s shows were drenched in a broader message. Often with a societal critique as an undertone, or simply to elicit controversy. At Givenchy McQueen used models of color and even Aimee Mullins, a model who had both of her legs amputated.