Most people aren’t interested in fashion or those designers who make fashion famous. Most people will however recognize the name Alexander McQueen; the young protege who was as famous for making avant guard clothing as well as living an equally avant guard lifestyle and who at the tender age of forty would succumb to taking his own life having reigned as one of the most influential and original artists of our time
McQueen is a compelling and engaging must-see documentary about Lee Alexander McQueen who was born and raised in an East London working class neighborhood. Lee as he was better known to his friends and family was likely predestined to have become a plumber, brick layer or cab driver like his father as opposed to one of the creators of the “Cool Britannia” movement that combined fierce romanticism and punk poetry in the 90s making him a reigning and sometimes controversial King of style. This rags-to-riches story told through archival footage and by those people who knew and loved him to a fault show a thrilling portrait of a complex man who was equally talented and burdened emotionally.
McQueen is equal parts inspiring, sad and haunting and manages to provide a glimpse behind the curtain of a competitive and complicated world where reputation seems to be as important as the end product. Filmmakers Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui do an incredible job of showing a unique account of someone obsessed with drawing clothes to McQueen’s meteoric rise as the top designer at the house of Givenchy in Paris.
What is perhaps most impressive about this documentary other than seeing the creation of beautiful clothing (that will forever be remembered as art) is the story behind the creator himself and just how the genius came to be.
“The most important question we wanted to answer was how this shy working class young man with no connections became Alexander McQueen” says Eddegui. Well, they certainly succeeded.
McQueen will open in San Diego at the Hillcrest Cinema on August 10 2018, check local listings for show times in other Cities
