Alexander McQueen a tribute

By Emma Johnson on Feb 12, 10 12:23 PM

THE word genius is used a lot these days but it is a more than fitting description of Alexander McQueen, who died yesterday aged just 40.
During his illustrious career, he won critical acclaim throughout the industry and had a string of awards to show for it.

Born in the East End of London in March 1969, the son of a taxi driver, he was the youngest of six children and left school at the age of 16.
He was making dresses for his sisters at a young age but was given his first break at Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, where his clients included the former Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the Prince of Wales.
He then went on to work for Gieves & Hawkes and theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans.
At the age of 20, he spent time working for Koji Tatsuno before switching to Milan.
His profile was elevated in the early 1990s when his own line of low "bumster" trousers were launched in London.
In 1994, he applied to London's prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and did not take long to make waves in the industry.
After receiving a masters degree in fashion design, his entire collection was famously bought by influential stylist Isabella Blow.

They remained close and McQueen was said to be devastated when she died aged 48 after swallowing weedkiller in May 2007.
She was credited with launching McQueen's career and was thought to have convinced McQueen to use his middle name - Alexander - instead of his first name Lee.
In 1996, he was dubbed the "hooligan of English fashion" and "enfant terrible" by the French press after being named head designer at Givenchy in Paris.

The tag was seen as a more of a reference to his close-cropped hair and Doc Martens than his fashion style and McQueen went on to silence his critics.
He caused controversy in 1998 with a show that included car robots spraying paint over white cotton dresses and a double amputee walking down the catwalk with wooden legs.
But his unconventional fashion shows, which once featured a life-sized hologram of supermodel Kate Moss, had became synonymous with his style.
He left Givenchy in 2001 and went on to link up with Gucci to become creative director.
In the summer of 2000, McQueen married his lover George Forsyth, a documentary film maker on board a luxury yacht in Ibiza with Kate Moss as bridesmaid.
She is said to be shocked and devastated at the tragic loss of her friend.