The Savage Beauty

Majbrit Weidemann, Editor-in-Chief | 09 April 2011 | Fashion, Art

The upcoming awaited exhibition at The Met celebrating Alexander McQueen has just been pre launched by the release of the exhibition catalogue featuring images of the iconic pieces to be exhibited, photographed by Sølve Sundsbø

McQueen challenged and expanded the understanding of fashion beyond utility to a conceptual expression of culture, politics, and identity. His iconic designs constitute the work of an artist whose medium of expression was fashion.

On May 2 the annual Met Ball kicks of the Metropolitan Museum's Costume Institute's new exhibit, Savage Beauty, a retrospective of Alexander McQueen's work. The hefty catalogue of the exhibit was recently distributed, and it features new glorious photos of some of the late designer's most glorious pieces. The book also includes Tim Blanks's interview with McQueen's successor, Sarah Burton — one of the most extensive that's been conducted to date.

"Every collection began with a show, McQueen designed in complete looks — hair, makeup, shoes, the works. "Shoes were really important because they anchored the look. The 'Armadillo' shoe from [spring 2010 show] 'Plato's Atlantis' was based on a ballet point shoe designed by Allen Jones. They were actually quite comfortable to walk in, but if a girl couldn't walk in them, she wasn't in the show." Sarah Burton, in the exhibit catalogue

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
May 4, 2011–July 31, 2011
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.