I didn’t like Alexander McQueen when I first heard of him. I remember when he was hired as head designer at Givenchy, in 1996. Here was a sacred brand, THE brand responsible for the Audrey Hepburn’s dresses in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, to be taken over by a brash Englishman. Then he goes and makes matters worse, by calling Givenchy “irrelevant.” I was outraged, and decided I didn’t like Alexander McQueen.

Audrey Hepburn wearing Givenchy in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

I felt similarly about John Galliano, although he is not really English, I hated this new school of young designers who were taking over the traditional Paris brands.

Naomi Campbell in Spring Summer 1997 Givenchy Haute Couture, Alexander McQueen's first collection for the brnad.

But Alexander McQueen (and John Galliano) eventually grew up and I believe it was around January 2007, when Dior presented their Spring Summer 2007 Haute Couture collection, that I realized this. I also noticed that Alexander McQueen had gone from being the “the enfant terrible of the fashion world” to being an influential, widely respected designer.

This Christian Dior Spring Summer 2007 Haute Couture collection made me start to love John Galliano.

My opinion of McQueen’s work changed in the past few years, rather than seeing it as “shock tactics”, I began to truly appreciate his talent. And I would say that the Spring Summer 2010 show was the pinnacle for Alexander McQueen, when he had finally reached the point where he could truly be described as a fashion genius.

Alexander McQueen's Spring Summer 2010 collection entitled Plato's Atlantis.

And how ironic that his suicide followed that stunning Plato’s Atlantis collection.

I was devastated to hear of his death, not only because the fashion industry lost one of its finest talents, but also the realization that being at the top of your game, and revered in your industry, does not in the least way guarantee any sort of happiness. I had just finished writing a post about some of the “real” fashion victims, the people who dedicate their lives to the industry, at the expense of their personal lives. I had just spent some time reflecting on how happy I was that I had made the decision to “choose life.”

I won’t go on too much more about his life or his death, as many journalists have done a great job.  Here are some good articles, from On the Runway, The Times, WWD, The New York Times, BBC, The Guardian, and The Cut. BBC annoyed the hell out of me by writing an article which featured quotes about McQueen by Victoria Beckham and Tyra Banks in the introduction (which I also found very insulting.) I also understand why PPR and Gucci Group have decided to keep the Alexander McQueen label alive. Business is business, and there was a lot invested in that brand. I personally prefer that the brand gets a chance to survive, as it would be very sad to see it shut down. There must be someone out there who can take the reigns as creative director. (And that’s not Gareth Pugh.)

Lee Alexander McQueen (1969 – 2010)

The Alexander McQueen Fall Winter 2010 show was apparently 80% his own work, which is why, I’m guessing, it was so small. I’m not going to do a Love and Loathe on the looks, the whole thing was beautiful. We don’t know if he knew this was going to be the last collection he designed, but if he did, it was a fitting farewell. I think Cathy Horyn summed it up very well in saying

“Someday there will be a retrospective of the fashion of Alexander McQueen, and if it ends with the 15 pieces shown here in a small salon the survey will indeed feel complete.”

The entire show photos are below, courtesy of WWD.

R.I.P. Lee Alexander McQueen

Other image credits:

Alexander McQueen at Givenchy
Breakfast at Tiffanys
Lee Alexander McQueen
Christian Dior’s Haute Couture Spring Summer 2007
Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2010

I’m all for clothing that looks good on women with hips and busts. I love the idea of putting the “curvaceous” Victoria’s Secret models on the designer catwalks. But I don’t like clothing that makes models look rounder than they are. God knows what that will do to real women. Louis Vuitton’s collection was certainly not what I’d call flattering.

I Love…

this full-skirt dress.

the discreet, flattering pleat detailing on this dress.

I Loathe…

this boring, unflattering coat.

a skirt that makes your hips look very big.

the fact that I had to look up this model just to double check she wasn't a plus size model. Because she looks like one here.

All images from Style.com.

Although Hermès clothing tends to look good on the catwalk, I’m sure it looks superb in person. They use the best materials and the finest methods of construction. I think Jean Paul Gaultier does a great job as Creative Director at Hermes, he is the perfect person to translate equestrian heritage of the brand and its ethnic influences into a fantastic womenswear collection.

I Love…

the grey strap-on shoulder pieces.

a soft luxurious grey coat.

chocolate and raspberry and squash.

a fantastic blanket coat.

I Loathe…

the gentleman riding look without a twist = boring.

All images from Style.com.

Chanel knows how to put on a fashion show, they are known for spending big bucks when it comes to the catwalks. The fall winter collection involved pieces of an iceberg brought in from Sweden (I’m wondering how it got here) and lots of fake fur. It is certainly not one of my favourite Chanel collections.

I Love…

a red dress with a sable fur trim.

a Chanel suit turned into a little day dress.

a beautifully detailed and embellished winter white dress.

I Loathe…

looking like a yeti. One in fake fur, at that.

when fake fur looks fake.

fur pants. These are horrible.

fur thigh-highs. Is this for real?

All images from Style.com.

This Valentino collection looks a lot more Velntino than the previous ones, but I am still not sure they have found the solution for the fashion house. The new designers, Pier Paolo Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri are probably going to do well with this collection, as it will appeal to the typical Valentino customer, but they aren’t bringing the brand forward. But I pity them, as it can’t be easy with Valentino and Giammetti still meddling in the brand. I also think many people seem to have an emotional attachment to the Valentino, which may be limiting its ability to progress. Get used to it everyone, the “Fashion Greats” are retiring. We may have felt nostalgic when Valentino retired, but I can’t imagine how we will feel when Karl retires.

I Love..

a simple white dress with a lovely shoulder ruffle.

ruffles.

I Loathe…

this dress, the fabric looks silly and the shape is not defined enough, or unstructured enough, its in no man's land.

too much on the bottom AND the top.

All images from Style.com.

Chloé’s collection is made up of some of the key trends of the season: minimalism, camel tones, and inventive fur pieces. I didn’t like the fur, but the rest looks fantastic.

I Love…

this modern take on a seventies look. And the combinations of camels. And that big bow belt.

tones of camel mixed together on this long sleeve dress.

this look, which is my favourite of the entire season. It encompasses everything I love about fashion right now: she's got that 1980's Ralph Lauren look, she's very American sportswear, she's wearing a fantastic camel coat on the shoulders over her tailored jacket, her denim shirt makes her look a bit casual, and it all looks super luxury but effortless because she's got her hands in her pockets.

the western influences in this collection, they aren't too obvious.

I Loathe…

jogging pants on the catwalk, and fur that looks like it had some sort of dye disaster.

All images from Style.com.

I wasn’t very keen on the sexy nun theme going on in this Yves Saint Laurent collection, but other than that this was a pretty strong collection. I think Stefano Pilati has really perfected “his” Yves Saint Laurent, which is a contemporary version of the original, strong and sexy, maintaing the story of the brand, but still moving forward.

I Love…

a simple black winter dress.

the sexiest designer parka we've seen so far in the collections.

the" yoke cape" on this shirt.

proof that a satin evening dress can be young.

I Loathe…

this unsexy "Mormon Mom" dress.

"puff sleeve" gloves.

this whole look, especially the nipples on show.

All images from Style.com.

Its rare that we see a new brand become instantly classic and iconic, and Giambattista Valli is certainly an example of this. His collections, since he left Emanuel Unagro in 2004 and started his own brand, have had an element of timelessness since the beginning. It felt as though he had always been around, even when he had just arrived. Valli has a way with silhouette and texture that is unrivaled by any young brands.

I Love…

this coat suit: the rounded sleeve, the giant collar, the cropped body, and the pleated skirt. Giambattista Valli is the Cristobal Balenciaga of the 21st century.

the textured fabric manipulation of this skirt.

terry cloth on drugs.

the embellished top contrasting the simple skirt. This is Giambattista Valli at his best.

I Loathe…

this vintage looking sheer dress. There were too many sheers in this collection, and this dress does not exude the class of most Valli pieces.

looking a bit too much like a stuffed animal.

All images from Style.com.

Some of you will already know that I am not a big fan of Stella McCartney, but its impossible to deny that this collection is absolutely beautiful. This is one of the best minimalist collections of the season, with simple beautiful shapes, softly structured silhouettes, and the perfect balance of style vs function. There is a not a single piece in the collection that would be difficult to wear (providing the production pieces’ hemlines are much longer than the catwalk versions.)

I Love…

the turned in collar and lapel on this beautifully simple coat.

a simple striped shift dress.

a stunning A-line top with a square neckline and flap pockets, worn with a perfect slim pant and a great flat shoe.

this nude quilted vest jacket. And the stirrup pants look great as well.

a dress where the sequins are hidden under a sheer shift.

the layers of this dress: the delicate lace underdress and the sheer overdress.

I Loathe…

the length of this dress. Some of the minis in this collection are way too short, for winter or summer. But the simple A-line shape looks great.

All images from Style.com.

What a refreshing Sonia Rykiel collection. Maybe I am biased because I used to work there, but usually Sonia Rykiel puts the same thing on the catwalk season after season. Its normally all about striped knits, lace dresses, wool jersey tailoring, and models with Sonia’s haircut. But this season’s collection feels fresh and fun and very Rykiel without being predictable.

And I love that the models all smile. For those of you that have never been backstage at a catwalk show, you may not know that the brands usually make little posters for the models to read before they go out on the catwalk. They will say things like “You’re angry!” or “You’re a sexy superstar” or “relax!” so that the models all have similar moods when they are on the catwalk. At Sonia Rykiel, our posters used to say things like “Smile”, “Hands in pockets”, and “Be Happy!” The girls do it well.

I Love…

the contrast of the knit and sheer on this outfit, the fabulous safety pin, and the giant pompom head piece.

the "very" dropped shoulder on this sweater coat.

the contrasting trim on this soft jacket.

a beautiful nude dress.

I Loathe…

a suit ten sized too big.

too may multicoloured stripes. And that black hat, it is in every Sonia Rykiel show and I don't understand why. I'm not very superstitious.

that every Sonia Rkiel show ends up with all the models on the catwalk in similar outfits. It was fun the first time, and maybe the second, but now it is gimmicky.

All images from Style.com.