The 14th March the V&A will present the only major retrospective in Europe of the work of the visionary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen. One of the most innovative designers of his generation, McQueen was celebrated for his extraordinary creative talent. He combined a profound grasp of tailoring and eclectic range of influences with a relentless pursuit to challenge the boundaries of art and fashion, blending the latest technology with traditional craftsmanship.
“The collections at the V&A never fail to intrigue and inspire me. The nation is privileged to have access to such a resource…. it’s the sort of place I’d like to be shut in overnight.”
Alexander McQueen
Savage Beauty will be presented in ten sections which will showcase the dominant themes and concepts within McQueen’s extraordinary body of work. The sections are built around garments which span the breadth of McQueen’s womenswear collections, from his MA graduate collection in 1992 to A/W 2010, McQueen’s final, unfinished collection.
In total, the exhibition will showcase more than 200 ensembles and accessories, the largest number of individual pieces designed by McQueen and collaborators ever seen together. They range from McQueen’s Central Saint Martins’ postgraduate collection of 1992 to his final designs for A/W 2010, completed after his death, and are drawn primarily from the Alexander McQueen archive in London.
“Savage Beauty is a celebration of the most imaginative and talented designer of our time. Lee was a genius and a true visionary who pushed boundaries, challenged and inspired. He believed in creativity and innovation and his talent was limitless.”
Sarah Burton | Creative Director Alexander McQueen
Claire Wilcox, Curator of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the V&A, is the Museum’s Senior Curator of Fashion, where she is responsible for the 20th-century and contemporary dress collections. She is also Professor of Fashion Curation at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London.
During her time at the V&A, Claire has curated many headline exhibitions including Radical Fashion (2001), Vivienne Westwood (2004) and The Golden Age of Couture (2007). She was also the lead curator of the redisplay of the V&A’s permanent fashion collection (2012) and lead curator (V&A) for the Europeana Digital Fashion Project.
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
In partnership with Swarovski Supported by American Express With thanks to M·A·C Cosmetics Technology partner Samsung
14 March – 2 August 2015
www.vam.ac.uk/savagebeauty | @V_and_A #SavageBeauty