In Remembrance of British Fashion Icon Alexander McQueen

A fashion icon, an inspiring designer, a man of many talents only simply states Lee Alexander McQueen. On February 11th Alexander McQueen took his life and was found in his flat in London which was only a few days after his mothers passing. Although, profusely tragic.....A man such as McQueen should be remembered and honored and whose life should be celebrated. 

McQueen's supporters had to say: 

"He was the most brilliant designer of his generation and his influence can be seen in the way that women dressed over the last 15 years. It is an incredible loss not only for British fashion but for fashion the world over." British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman. 

"He was a talent beyond others" CEO at Alexander McQueen, Sue Whitely.

A true original, who once incorporated human hair into his designs, and last September sent 12-inch platforms down the catwalk, McQueen combined masterful tailoring and a haute couture sensibility with an imagination that spanned from obscure to sublime.

McQueen's talents had no limits from fragrance to off the rack to couture to puma sneakers to the most artful and eclectic fashion shows all over the world.

I remember I did my freshmen "Fashion Designer" profile on Alexander McQueen at Berkeley College in 2002, a true inspiration to me in his edgy women's fashion apparel. His work, to me is breathtaking, the way he subjected his talents in fashion shows always had me in aww I would watch his VHS (yes, I said it not dvd but VHS) of his paris fashion show over and over again. He had truly made an impact on my fashion career right from the very beginning. 

All hail Alexander McQueen. A true Fashion Icon.

Clothing Used to Show Emotional Aspects and Underlying Themes: The Great Gatsby ~ Fashion RI write-up by Sara Faella

I had the honor of attending the Lecture "Dressing Up Daisy"~The fun facts behind the fiction of Fashion in the Great Gatsby. Thursday, February 18, 2010 @ The RoseCliff Mansion in Newport, RI given by Rebecca Kelly (Assistant Conservator of The Museum of the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York NY), who is an original Rhode Islander that was formerly employed at The Rose Cliff Mansion. Her lecture was well-spoken, inspiring and delightful.


The Great Gatsby is a novel and then turned film from the original american Author, F. Scott Fitzgerald where fashion and dress play a major roll in emotion, social status, time period setting and love. The novel was published April 10, 1925 but strictly references the summer of 1922. An era, of the "roaring 1920's" where the "American Dream" fell and "The Guilded Age" emerged.


Designers surfaced, one of the most influential, I believe was Paul Poiret, although his reign was short lived in House of Worth for rumored being to "modern" and "bold" in 1915, he yet stood to build his own House where is eccentricity, empire waistlines and linear silhouettes claimed his name as the "Reigning King of Fashion". He stepped away from tailoring and focused more on draping the body. From here the Corset was over. But after World War 1, Poiret struggled to regain his Reign because of the War Effort, this is where Coco Chanel and Ralph Lauren stepped forward and set the trend for the casual yet english inspired pant and skirt, not only for men but for woman as well, which up until this time period had never been seen. Coco Chanel was on the cutting edge of fashion and by 1928, she had crafted "The Little Black Dress", interestingly enough Paul Poiret "King of Fashion" (yet drastically declining in fashion and in debt because of his then "dated" fashions) disliked the work of Chanel and her simplistic silhouettes and one day on a street in Paris there paths crossed and Poiret asked Chanel "For whom, Madame, do you mourn?" and Chanel classically replied "For you, Monsieur". A fashion visionary was born. Vogue commented on Chanel "Chanel's silhouette, staying close to the lines of the uncorseted figure, begins to make the skirts of Lanvin look old-fashioned and Poiret too theatrical.". Fitzgerald, takes these influential time periods and legends and encompasses them into his characters, using they're dress to state their social statuses, their riffling love triangles and passionate romances. He turns articles of clothing into a romantic, tragic, historical novel. Applauded and Inspired truly and deeply by Sara Faella of FashionRI.