Alexander McQueen Dead at Age 40

Long live the McQueen!

"I think the idea of mixing luxury and mass-market fashion is very modern — wearing head-to-toe designer has become a bit passé. It’s a new era in fashion — there are no rules. It’s all about the individual and personal style, wearing high-end, low-end, classic labels, and up-and-coming designers all together."
-Alexander McQueen

The “hooligan” of British fashion, Alexander McQueen’s nickname doesn’t nearly capture the creative genius and influence he left on modern fashion.

On February 11th, 2009, the world lost its beloved “hooligan”, innovator and renowned fashion designer. Models, peers, aspiring designers and the industry in general were devastated to hear of his suicide, and the fashion world undoubtedly lost a chunk of its creativity.

McQueen, the cream of the fashion crop, led high fashion houses like Givenchy and then moved on to develop his own successful line, earning him British designer of the Year award four times.

Although his sky-high achievements have abruptly ended, McQueen's legacy is sure to live on. I don’t think people have noticed his colossal influences until most recently, but he has definitely changed fashion as it is today.

Here are a few of McQueen's innovative creations that changed the world of fashion:

Low Slung Jeans
The “bumsters” McQueen created in 1996 sparked the trend in low-rise crack-revealing jeans. It was a controversial look that put him on the map.

Skull Prints
Johnny Depp, Nicole Ritchie and Cameron Diaz are just a few celebrities bearing McQueen's trademark design on scarves, bags, dresses.

Sharp Tailoring
McQueen apprenticed on Savile Row, and there developed his exemplary tailoring skills and look; yet, his creations were wearable on and off the catwalk, with razor sharp suits and pencil skirts. The way he tailored and cut affected fashion greatly.

Armadillo Shoes
At his Darwin-inspired Spring 2010 show, crowds were awed by a new species of shoes McQueen had designed: 10-inch lobster-shaped heels. Lady Gaga used them in her music video Bad Romance. Enough said.

Dramatic Fashion Shows
Credited with bringing the theatre to the catwalk, McQueen used birdcages, butterflies and holographic images of Kate Moss on the runway. He also had volcanic catwalk eruptions and Plexiglass storms.