McQueen

Dir: Ian Bonhôte

2018

****

The first time I became properly aware of fashion designer Alexander McQueen was in 1997 when he was a guest on The Frank Skinner Show. I’d heard the name and knew he was making something of himself in the fashion world but had no idea of his origins. On The Frank Skinner Show he appeared scruffy and down to earth – not at all what was expected from fashion designers of the day. I suppose he was like the new Vivienne Westwood in many respects, although miles apart in what they did and how they went about it. In Ian Bonhote’s 2018 documentary we discover that McQueen – real name Lee – took an interest in fashion and found work the old way by knocking on doors. I remember thinking back in 1997, just as I was starting a University design degree, that he must have known someone to have got his foot in the door as it were, because you can’t just turn up somewhere and ask for a job and expect to get one. McQueen clearly had natural talent and the ability to learn, yes he was in the right place at the right time but he put himself there. His infiltration of the fashion world was exciting, even though I had no real interest in fashion. His attitude, his shows and his work sent a ripple across the design world just as the Sensationalist movement was taking off in the art world and Brit Pop was at peak popularity. The difference however is longevity. Brit Pop and Sensationalism appear rather shallow in retrospect and are now in the world of nostalgia, while McQueen’s work is still striking, contemporary and in many respects still ahead of time, even over twenty years later. The establishment didn’t like him at first but a few celebrated his impact on fashion. His residency at Givenchy was a surprise to many, particularly his former fellow student who recall how he would say that he would never work for the established fashion houses, vowing to never ‘sell out’ but to form his own brand. He was called "enfant terrible" by many but the truth was that he was quickly excepted thanks to his popularity. Nothing really changed for the established fashion houses, other than they had to up their game. McQueen used them to establish himself but this came with personal turmoil. He was well aware that he could be seen as a sell out and when he essentially abandoned his friend, patron and muse Isabella Blow, those around him saw him turn into someone he always hated. However, that was one perception. The documentary features many interviews with friends, lovers, colleagues and family, those that were around him and closest to him during his rise to infamy. He was incredibly hardworking, continuously working on collection after collection so that he could keep his team in full employment. His ‘sell out’ was actually him looking after the many people he employed. He never forgot his humble beginnings but he ultimately forgot to look after himself both physically and mentally. The documentary is brutally honest and shines a light on many issues McQueen had that weren’t well known during his heyday. I’m glad the film wasn’t just an hour and a half of models, actresses and it-girls singing his praises, but of real people talking about his real issues. The documentary reveals the stark reality behind the ‘glamour’ and how it is all a facade. For me, it was a film about an outsider who was in fact the real deal. Of course many of his shows were meant to shock and Lee didn’t have the same tact as his contemporaries, his shows meant something to him and were a reflection of his feelings and his ghosts. No one wants to be questioned about their actions, especially when they are so personal, so he was regarded as arrogant by the press and public. I can see why he was thrown in with the Sensationalists but the quality of his work spoke volumes. Unfortunately, in hindsight, they also depicted a tortured soul and showed the path of his ultimate demise. The frightening thing about the documentary is that, even though we know he ended his own life at the age of 40 in 2010, it becomes clearer that there was an inevitability about it. When Isabella Blow took her own life McQueen was devastated but he admired her control. She had a terminal illness and decided to go out under her own terms, just as she did with her life and McQueen respected that. Unfortunately he lost his mother soon after and his mental state was poor. Under the influence of drugs he came up with a long term solution for what could have been a short term problem but there were signs early on that his depression could lead to it. Ultimately he was a good person who burned himself out. The film is a comprehensive exploration of a highly emotional and creative genius. Many biopics of successful people who have died young and/or under tragic circumstance paint the individual as immortal and dare I say ‘rock and roll’ but while his work will live on, this is a stark reminder that we will loose our friends and loved ones, whoever they are, if we don’t look after them. Dying young is not cool, it is time to end this notion, and I think Ian Bonhote’s 2018 documentary expresses this perfectly.