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Feb 2010  |  By Ann Marie Scheidler  |  Comments (0)

Alexander McQueen’s Death Hits Close to Home

Earlier this month, the fashion world lost a great talent in the sudden passing of Lee Alexander McQueen.

Although the North Shore may seem somewhat removed from the fashion capitals of New York, London, Paris, or Milan—a number of our local retailers were deeply moved by the indelible impression McQueen left on the field of fashion. Here’s what they had to say.

“We have carried the [Alexander McQueen] collection since we opened and I was always a huge fan. He was one of the few fashion geniuses who knew how to do theatrics on the runway but still produce a wearable commercial line. There was no one like him and there probably never will be. The fashion industry lost a huge star.” –Kelly Golden, owner of Neapolitan, Winnetka.

“We were devastated by the sad news of the passing of  Alexander McQueen. He has been a force of prolific proportions since he burst on to the fashion scene in London. His unparalleled imagination coupled with his expert tailoring and couture level dress making techniques made him a tour de force in the industry.

“To understand his genius one only needs to look at his collective work. The ‘Red Riding Hood’ collection with live wolves, ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They’ collection, ‘The Ship Wreck Collection,’ the Human Chess Game, it goes on and on. [McQueen] raised the level not only of the design of men’s and women’s ready to wear , but also set a new precedence for fashion shows and presentation. He was a true showman who filled his runways and collections with underlining messages that challenged fashion and the world around us,” –Ken Downing, Senior Vice President and Fashion Director, Neiman Marcus

“I am saddened by the death of this gifted young designer. His shows were theatrical and deadly creative, yet he managed always to put out a collection that was in the end very wearable. He revived Givenchy, a house with great tradition that had been a bit forgotten. Since the inception of his ready to wear line in spring 2002, he wowed us with his gorgeous collections under his own name. He will be sorely missed,” –Lauren Cavallo Runzel, owner of Gavin, Evanston

“The loss of Lee McQueen is a tragedy. The impact of his passing on the fashion industry is hard to imagine or measure. He was an original and a visionary: men and women alike will miss his genius,” –Carrie Kane and Sharon Watrous, co-owners of Chalk Boutique, Evanston.

For a brief look at the life and career of Alexander McQueen, click here.