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Fashion world bows to McQueen By Gregoroy Katz ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — The outfits best told the story Tuesday as Anna Wintour, editor of American Vogue, and top museum officials paid tribute to the late Alexander McQueen, soon to be honored with a major career retrospective at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The six McQueen designs displayed on mannequins in the breakfast room at the Ritz Hotel illustrated the qualities that set McQueen apart: The romantic vision, the yearning, the flawless tailoring, and the occasional whimsy were all present, to a degree dwarfing much of the work on display at London Fashion Week, which ends Wednesday with menswear shows. Wintour, a cochair of the exhibit along with Stella McCartney, Colin Firth, and others, said McQueen was greatly influenced by the London street scene, which shaped him in the early years of his career. “Alexander loved London,” Wintour said. “I think Alexander was a creature of London — the street culture here, the music and the art were all references for his work. You know he may have traveled to Paris to get more exposure for his collection, but in his heart he would always be English, Scottish.” Wintour said McQueen’s shows were always the highlight of fashion weeks in London and Paris because of his originality. “He had an imagination that was quite unlike anybody else’s,” she said. “What was so great about him was there was no pretense; he wore his heart on his sleeve.” While lamenting the loss of McQueen, Wintour praised his successor, Sarah Burton, who was named by the Gucci
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Young designers have their day in London By Sylvia Hui
tones of rose pink, berry red, and tangerine. LONDON — Youthful deWide-brimmed felt hats signers still making a name adorned with feathers added for themselves have found a to the elegant Parisian look, warm welcome at London while dresses in platinum Fashion Week, where glitzy gray and matte silver lent A-list designers have tradi- modern cool to a romantic, tionally shared the spotlight classic collection. with rising talents. Schwab, another On Tuesday, two London-based young designers young designer, from continental Eualso showed his colrope — Serbianlection Tuesday — born Roksanda Ilinthe final day of womcic and Greco-Ausenswear at the sixtrian Marios day London Fashion Schwab — sparked Week. Like Ilincic, fresh interest with Schwab favored feminine, figure-flatterYUI MOK / Associated Press sophisticated collections on the final ing silhouettes, alCreations by Alexander McQueen, on display in London. The designer, who died a year ago, will day of the womensthough his look was be the subject of a career retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. wear shows. sexier and more purchased in 1999 by another With a series of about pairing geofashion company that took silken, jewel-toned Marios Schwab metric forms with his name although it had no evening gowns, Ilin- worked pearls soft drapes. connection to Ellis, who died cic brought a distinc- into the bodices “I like mixing the in 1986. tive touch of Old of his dresses. lady and the rebelIn the case of McQueen, World glamour to lious together,” he the posthumous honors be- the catwalk. said after the show. ing lavished on the designer The former model, a relaPearls were incorporated — like the landmark Metro- tive newcomer to the London into the bodice of the dresses politan Museum exhibit — fashion extravaganza, has en- in surprising and clever American Vogue may make Burton’s task of joyed both critical acclaim ways, creating drapes, tracdifferentiating her work and commercial success. Her ing the stitching of the fabric, editor Anna more difficult. elegant, red-carpet-worthy and even outlining the shape Wintour (left) The 100-piece McQueen evening ensembles, in particu- of bra cups. and designer show at the Costume Institute lar, seem to fill a niche in the Shades of red — mostly Stella of the Metropolitan Museum London fashion landscape, dried blood and a more viMcCartney. of Art in New York will run which enjoys more of a brant orangey red — were a Group to serve as creative di- known in-house talent, as hap- from May 4 until July 31. It trendy, urban reputation. key hue at Schwab, just as on rector at the McQueen de- pened with Valentino; or will include many of his signaU.S. first lady Michelle Oba- other catwalks in the New sign house several months brought in outside designers, ture items, including the bum- ma, known as a supporter of York and London fashion after his death in February as happened at Emanuel Un- ster trouser and the kimono up-and-coming designers, re- weeks, while lime, sage, and 2010. garo and Halston; or even re- jacket, along with designs cently wore an Ilincic coat teal were thrown in to bal“She worked with him for cruited family, as happened from the McQueen and and dress outfit to welcome ance the warm tones. so many years, and she’s go- when Donatella Versace took Givenchy corporate archives Chinese President Hu Jintao Schwab, who was born in ing to put her own stamp on the company’s creative helm and his private collection. to the United States, giving Athens, also trained at Central it, but very respectfully,” Win- after her brother Gianni Costume Institute curator Ilincic a very welcome boost. St. Martins, and he has been tour said of the woman given Versace was murdered in Andrew Bolton said McQueen Ilincic, who was born in Bel- called one of London’s most exthe delicate task of taking Mc- 1997. merits the attention because grade and trained in Lon- citing young designers by Queen’s place at the head of The transition is often he was above all else an artist don’s Central St. Martins, Vogue. He was one of several the design studio. rocky. and a master craftsman, not said that as a woman design- designers behind the “bodyWintour said Burton had Valentino went through tur- someone simply concerned ing for other women, she en- con” — or body-conscious — been a “brilliant” choice to re- bulent times after the Italian about trends. joys an advantage over other trend, and his clothes have place McQueen, but her designer retired. His immedi“He expanded fashion be- young designers. been worn by Kylie Minogue words capture the challenge ate successor, Alessandra yond the pragmatics,” Bolton “Things probably come easi- and Kate Moss. He is also deBurton faces — she must fol- Facchinetti, was bounced the said. “Fashion wasn’t just er for me,” she said. “I don’t signing for Halston. low her own creative vision, day after she showed her sec- about wearability, it wasn’t necessarily have to have a Ilincic said that London is but still pay homage to Mc- ond ready-to-wear collection. just about practicality, it was muse.” much more welcoming than Queen, the guiding light who A designer’s name is some- more about using it as a way Her autumn and winter New York or Paris for young created the fashion house. times carried on by a compa- to explore ideas and con- 2011 show featured many talents looking to launch their After a founder’s death or ny that has nothing to do with cepts. There was always an evening gowns and wide- careers. retirement, other major la- the founder. Perry Ellis Inter- anger and a romance in his legged pants in a silky, flow“That really is what London bels have turned to lesser- national, for example, was work.” ing material and rich, sunset is all about,” she said. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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