Alexander McQueen : Savage Beauty

The most sought after exhibit in London this summer is Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty on until 2 August 2015 at the Victoria and Albert Museum by South Kensington tube station. Given that it is advertised that 50,000 tickets were sold before the exhibit started in March 2015, I did not think that I would be able to get a ticket on the day I could attend. However I went to the museum to inquire and was able to get a ticket for later on that same day. The exhibit did not disappoint. It is a retrospective of Alexander McQueen’s fashion legacy. I did not realize the extent of his genius until I went to this show. He was not just a fashion designer but a creator and an innovator who pushed the boundaries. He used many different fabrics as well as feathers and sequins and invited creators in leather and metal to add to his creations. One of his more unusual pieces is a cuirass (armour that in the past was made from metal) made from glass. Fantastic hats, jewelry and shoes were all part of the overall affect. He used tartan quite a bit not only for skirts but for dresses and jackets too. Many of his designs would not allow anyone to actually move in them. This is a truly wonderful display which tries to give some understanding of the vision behind his work. The rooms of the display are categorized by themes, there are quotes of his on the walls and there are videos of the catwalk shows. Give yourself one to one and a half hours to absorb the show.

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