Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Friday 20 July 2018

'McQueen' examines career of a brilliant, troubled designer

By JOCELYN NOVECK make his way. But it's clear
NEW YORK (AP) — The Lon- that, as an associate says:
don fashion world didn't "No one discovered Alex-
know quite what hit it when ander McQueen. Alexan-
Alexander McQueen's der McQueen discovered
disheveled models stag- himself."
gered down the runway At first, there was no money.
at his 1995 "Highland Rape" A friend describes how the
show, their Scottish-inspired two went to McDonald's af-
clothing ripped to expose ter a major show, dropped
breasts and nether regions. the food on the floor, but
It was exactly the reaction had to pick it up and eat it
that McQueen, then in his because they couldn't af-
20s and subsisting on Mc- ford to buy more.
Donald's and unemploy- Things changed radically
ment checks, was seeking. when luxury conglomerate
"I don't want a show where LVMH hired McQueen for
you come out feeling like Givenchy. But McQueen
you've just had Sunday didn't just sit back and en-
lunch," he said at the time. joy his financial windfall —
"I want you to come out ei- he poured it back into his
ther feeling repulsed or ex- own label. It was a time
hilarated." In this May 13, 2008 file photo, British fashion designer Alexander McQueen arrives for the Los of enormous pressure; Mc-
McQueen would go on to Angeles Alexander McQueen Boutique launch party in Los Angeles. Queen says in one inter-
provoke, repulse, inspire Associated Press view that he produced an
and exhilarate — often si- astounding 14 collections
multaneously — until he the two questions proved cade. "The fashion world though, is McQueen's work in a year.
was 40, when he tragically irresistible; their resulting is a bubble," says Ettedgui, — and the way his brac- For a man often called the
took his life. How did a taxi documentary, "McQueen," who wrote and co-direct- ing talent reverberated "bad boy" or "enfant ter-
driver's son from working- opens this week. ed the film. "They don't through the fashion estab- rible" of fashion, there was
class London make the Fashion is a compelling necessarily take kindly to lishment. Watching now, much else to learn about
unlikely journey to the top topic for documentaries — outsiders coming in and re- one can almost feel the McQueen, the filmmakers
of the fashion world, and indeed, few subjects are vealing their secrets." gasps in the audience as say. Among the things that
what made him end it all so enticingly visual. But the The filmmakers ap- the designer places model surprised them: his sheer
at the height of his pow- challenge is always to peel proached close to 200 Shalom Harlow on a revolv- technical craftsmanship,
ers? For filmmakers Ian Bon- away the well-polished — sources, says Bonhote. ing platform in a plain tulle and a constantly develop-
hote and Peter Ettedgui, and well-guarded — fa- Finding footage was pains- dress in his 1999 show "No. ing business savvy.
taking work, but they were 13," then has two robots They were also struck by
fortunate to secure key spray yellow and black how McQueen's person-
parts of McQueen's most paint on her as she turns ality contrasted with the
dramatic runway shows, and turns. It was a mesmer- myth. "He had this repu-
along with some strikingly izing effect that brought tation for being abrasive,
candid interviews with the McQueen himself to tears. punk," says Ettedgui. "But
designer — a rarity at fash- The film is divided into what we see in the archive
ion shows. chapters, each focusing is McQueen with friends,
They also found some valu- on a particularly influential with his parents, even his
able archival footage — in- McQueen show. The first, beloved dogs, being very
cluding some private foot- "Jack the Ripper Stalks His human and very tender at
age that McQueen and Victims" in 1992, was origi- times."
his associates captured for nally his final project at At the end of his life, two
fun, trying out a new cam- Central Saint Martin's, the deaths devastated Mc-
era as they traveled to Paris well-known London fashion Queen. Blow took her life in
for the designer's new, high- school. 2007 — we see him at her
profile post at Givenchy in Even getting to the school funeral, looking destroyed.
1996, looking like grinning was unlikely. The young Lee And in early 2010, Mc-
kids taking their parents' McQueen (he reverted to Queen's beloved mother
car for a spin. his middle name, Alexan- died. Only days later — on
The filmmakers were also der, later because it sound- the eve of her funeral —
able to convince some key ed posh) was supposed the designer killed himself.
McQueen family members to become "a mechanic The filmmakers can only
to speak, namely his older or something," but he was speculate why McQueen,
sister, Janet, and her son, obsessed with drawing who struggled with drug
Gary, a designer himself clothes. His mother en- use, took his life. "Fashion
who worked for his uncle. couraged him to knock on does come with a very
And they interview some doors on Savile Row for an unique set of pressures,"
of McQueen's former col- apprenticeship, and there, says Ettedgui. But, he adds,
leagues, though not all: he became a superb "People we spoke to said,
Sarah Burton, for example, craftsman. 'Don't try to make him a vic-
who succeeded McQueen Isabella Blow, a prominent tim, because ultimately the
at his namesake label, fashion figure, bought up person who put the most
doesn't appear. his entire "Jack the Ripper" pressure on McQueen was
At the heart of the film, collection and helped him McQueen."q