Marchesa: The Head-Scratcher

So, I just checked out the images from Marchesa's New York show today and loved most of the looks.  This tends to happen quite often with this brand; the shows are lovely, the website has absolutely gorgeous styles to offer, yet this shit happens all over the red carpet:



T to the A to the C to the K to the Y

(and there are many more sad images where these came from)


Why?

Sher @ FA

IT'S ONLY A GAME

That was the name of the Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2005 RTW show that will forever be one of the best displays of fashion and art, in history.  In my opinion, of course.

It's one year ago today that we lost him so instead of thinking about that terrible day, let's celebrate and enjoy all the marvelous contributions he made to fashion over his (short) lifetime.


It's Only a Game

I guess you could say, this collection was kind of like his 'best of' or 'greatest hits' as he had a little bit of everything he was known for (up until that time) displayed on models atop a giant chessboard.

Of course, beneath the frills and playfulness of the clothing, some darknesss...as there usually was with McQueen collections.

This particular show was based on some dark movie (which I have yet to see) called Picnic at Hanging Rock.  Basically, it's about some schoolgirls who go missing after an outing with one of their teachers.

Here's the link to its IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073540/

Watch the Spring 2005 RTW show at length--it's pure genius:

Part 1



Part 2





Next on the Month of McQueen:
The Givenchy Years, Part 2

All photos: L'Officiel magazine, Alexander McQueen special issue

Top photo: style.com

Jason Stackhouse Does LAX

If you don't know who this is, you're not watching enough television.  Or sadly, you're not watching True Blood.

Looking quite monochromatic, Ryan Kwanten who plays the delicious Jason Stackhouse on True Blood, arrives at LAX yesterday.

The thing about mens style is; it's difficult to detect if he's really thought about his outfit or just threw something on for a flight.  And which of the two is sexier? 

In this case, when you look this good, does it really matter?

The answer is: yes!

Imagine for a moment he showed up to LAX in a Christian Audigier hoody, baseball cap and Dockers. 

If this were the case, he certainly wouldn't be featured on this blog unless he was chosen for the 'DOA'.

We'll leave you with some classic Jason:

True Blood returns for it's 4th season this summer so...Tune in!

All photos: zimbio.com

Mosaic McQueen

Photo: L'Officiel magazine; Alexander McQueen special edition

And a little help from Photoshop....

Month of McQueen: The Givenchy Years, Part 1

In 1996, at the age of 27-years-old, Lee Alexander McQueen succeeded John Galliano for head designer at Givenchy.
Already notorious for speaking his mind, he called his first Givenchy couture collection, 'crap'.

Oh, and then he called the founder, 'irrelevant'.

October 15, 1996

Coming of age for an enfant terrible

By: Grace Bradberry of The Times

ALEXANDER McQUEEN, the enfant terrible of British fashion, was appointed chief designer at Givenchy yesterday.
The 27-year-old east Londoner, who showed his most recent collection in a swimming pool and is best known for creating "bumster" trousers - cut alarmingly low at the back - will design haute couture and ready-to-wear as well as his own label.
He follows John Galliano, 36, the son of a south London plumber, who took over at Givenchy in 1995 and moves on to head the larger house of Christian Dior.
Although Galliano had long been tipped for the Dior job, McQueen's appointment was less certain. Everyone from Vivienne Westwood to Jean-Paul Gaultier was rumoured to have been considered. McQueen was reported to have turned down the job, but he had a change of heart last week and travelled to Paris to sign the contract.
Givenchy's brief statement spoke of McQueen's "brilliant creativity, combined with his technical mastery", which would "ensure the ongoing evolution of Givenchy's tradition of elegance".


Givenchy Haute Couture, Spring/Summer 1997

January 20, 1997

Eastender triumphs with Paris collection

By: Heath Brown of The Times

THE first haute couture show by Alexander McQueen for the established house of Givenchy proved beyond doubt last night that British fashion designers are now leading the world. The "East End lad" was always an unlikely choice for such a prestigious house but the gamble has paid off. Taking over from fellow British designer John Galliano, who has moved to Dior, McQueen pushed the boundaries of fashion to its limits with a collection based on Greek mythology.

We may be grasping at straws here but there are some similarities between this collection and his last two Womenswear collections.....

Wondering, if interviewed now, would he still call this first collection for Givenchy, 'crap' or just the beginnings of runway awesomeness.

Quotes from a rare interview, with CNN in 2007:

"Once I finish designing the show collection, I start thinking about the customer."

"There's nothing more stunning than someone who understands what style is."

February 2011: Month of McQueen

February 11th will mark the day we lost one of the most influential artist's in fashion history.

To pay homage to the designer we loved for so many years, who kept us on our fashion toes every season, we're dedicating the blog this month to Alexander McQueen.

Tomorrow on the Month of McQueen:

The Givenchy Years, Part 1