McQueen Bee

Call it a coincidence, call it serendipity, call it "great minds..." While I was writing my story on the fabulousness of the honeycomb or hexagon shape, a pregnant Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen was sending beautiful beekeepers down the runway in Paris!  She must have heard the same "buzz" about the bee shortage.  Literally, 30% of the world wide bee population has died off!  All Sarah's little worker bees were busy readying the runway and outfitting the models in waist accentuating belts, corsets, cages, and dramatic jeweled silhouettes with a honey of a theme indicative of the late, great McQueen.

Gold bees adorned many of the accessories.  The tortoise shell harnesses, while hard for anyone who is not a waif to wear, were spectacular.

Talk about raising awareness.  I doubt that was her intention, but the John Maybury film showing swarming bees playing in the background quite literally took you through the bees swarming in a frenzy to referencing bees pollenating flowers as big crinoline floral dresses closed the show.

WOW!


ph: Monica Feudi; close ups, Marcus Tondo for Vogue.com

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

Do not walk...RUN to see the Alexander McQueen Exhibit at the Met if you are in the New York area.  It is both hauntingly beautiful and sad simultaneously.  I suppose just like Lee was; always at odds, a contradiction, exploring his feelings through his designs.  The exhibit showcases 100 ensembles and 70 accessories within 6 magnificent vignettes.

His designs have become legendary~ the late, great enfant terrible who took his own life in February of last year managed to be hypnotic, controversial, imaginative, and commercially successful.

With its interactive components, the exhibit was a feast for the senses.  It was a visceral experience.  This wonderfully macabre, disturbingly beautiful, raw narrative of McQueen's short life is a must see!  You most definitely ask yourself, "Why Alexander, Why?" and wonder what could have been?

Someone asked me what my favorite part of the exhibit was, but I really couldn't say.  I marveled at the magic of the creative mind behind the outfits, the robotic painting of a dress, and the hologram of Kate Moss.  Simply magnificent!!

Philip Tracey was an important collaborator of McQueen's; his headpieces, more than a footnote.  Read more about how the two met here.

For more on the exhibit, photos: The Met website. Running through August 7th.