The Romantic Mind

Exhibition renderings by Joseph Bennett

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Coat: Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims (MA Graduation Collection), 1992Pink silk satin printed in thorn pattern lined in white silk with encapsulated human hair. From the collection of Isabella Blow courtesy of the Hon. Daphne Guinness Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010).“Bumster” Skirt. Highland Rape, autumn/winter 1995–96 (re-edition from original pattern) Black silk taffeta. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010) Dress: Plato’s Atlantis, spring/summer 2010. Gray wool and silk/synthetic knit printed in jellyfish pattern. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Jacket: Joan, autumn/winter 1998–99. Black cashmere. Courtesy of Janet Fischgrund. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Jacket: It’s a Jungle Out There, autumn/winter 1997–98. Silk and cotton twill printed with an image from The Thief to the Left of Christ by Robert Campin, ca. 1430. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Coat: Dante, autumn/winter 1996–97. Black wool felt embroidered with gold bullion cord. From the collection of Isabella Blow courtesy of the Hon. Daphne Guinness. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Corset Dante. Autumn/winter 1996–97. Lilac silk faille appliquéd with black silk lace and embroidered with jet beads. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Romantic Gothic and Cabinet of Curiosities

“People find my things sometimes aggressive. But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of personality.” Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, autumn/winter 2002–3. Coat of black parachute silk; trouser of black synthetic; hat of black silk satin. Hat by Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen courtesy of Alister Mackie. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: Autumn/winter 2010–11. Dress and glove of printed silk satin; underskirt of duck feathers painted gold. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10. Black duck feathers. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen. “Spine” Corset Untitled, spring/summer 1998. Aluminum and black leather. Courtesy of Shaun Leane. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen. “Coiled” Corset The Overlook, autumn/winter 1999–2000. Aluminum. Courtesy of Shaun Leane. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: The Hunger, spring/summer 1996. Silver wool/synthetic with red silk faille lining; bodice of molded plastic encasing worms; skirt of red silk faille with silver antlers. Antlers by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: It’s Only a Game. Spring/summer 2005. Lilac leather and horsehair. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: No. 13, spring/summer 1999. Corset of brown leather; skirt of cream silk lace; prosthetic legs of carved elm wood. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: No. 13. Spring/summer 1999. White cotton muslin spray-painted black and yellow with underskirt of white synthetic tulle. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Nationalism

Exhibition renderings by Joseph Bennett

“The reason I’m patriotic about Scotland is because I think it’s been dealt a really hard hand. It’s marketed the world over as . . . haggis . . . bagpipes. But no one ever puts anything back into it.” Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Highland Rape. Autumn/winter 1995–96. Green and bronze cotton/synthetic lace. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Suit: Highland Rape. Autumn/winter 1995–96 (jacket and skirt not worn together on the runway). Jacket of McQueen wool tartan with green wool felt sleeves; skirt of McQueen wool tartan. From the collection of Isabella Blow courtesy of the Hon. Daphne Guinness. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: Widows of Culloden, autumn/winter 2006–7. Dress of McQueen wool tartan; top of nude silk net appliquéd with black lace; underskirt of cream silk tulle. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Widows of Culloden. Autumn/winter 2006–7.. McQueen wool tartan appliquéd with black cotton lace; underskirt of black synthetic tulle; faux jabot of black cotton with broderie anglaise. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: The Girl Who Lived in the Tree. Autumn/winter 2008–9. Jacket of red silk velvet embroidered with gold bullion and trimmed with white shearling; dress of ivory silk tulle. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: The Girl Who Lived in the Tree. Autumn/winter 2008–9. Coat of red silk satin; dress of ivory silk chiffon embroidered with crystal beads. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Romantic Exoticism

Exhibition renderings by Joseph Bennett

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: It’s Only a Game. Spring/summer 2005. Dress and obi-style sash of lilac and silver brocade; jacket of lilac silk faille embroidered with silk thread; top of nude synthetic net embroidered with silk thread. Dress courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: It’s Only a Game. Spring/summer 2005. Bodysuit and obi-style sash of lilac silk satin and chiffon embroidered with silk thread; shoulder pads and helmet of fiberglass painted with acrylics. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: VOSS. Spring/summer 2001. Jacket of pink and gray wool bird’s-eye embroidered with silk thread; trouser of pink and gray wool bird’s-eye; hat of pink and gray wool bird’s-eye embroidered with silk thread and decorated with Amaranthus. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: VOSS. Spring/summer 2001. Overdress of panels from a nineteenth-century Japanese silk screen; underdress of oyster shells; neckpiece of silver and Tahiti pearls. Neckpiece by Shaun Leane for Alexander McQueen courtesy of Perles de Tahiti. Dress courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010)? Dress: VOSS. Spring/summer 2001. Nude synthetic net appliquéd with roundels in the shape of chrysanthemums embroidered with red, gold, and black silk thread with black ostrich feathers. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Romantic Primitivism

Exhibition renderings by Joseph Bennett

“I try to push the silhouette. To change the silhouette is to change the thinking of how we look. What I do is look at ancient African tribes, and the way they dress. The rituals of how they dress. . . . There’s a lot of tribalism in the collections.” Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Coat: Eshu. Autumn/winter 2000–2001. Black synthetic hair. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Eshu. Autumn/winter 2000–2001. Yellow glass beads and brown horsehair. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen; Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Ensemble: Eshu. Autumn/winter 2000–2001. Dress of beige leather; crinoline of metal wire. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Bodysuit: It’s a Jungle Out There. Autumn/winter 1997–98. Brown leather with bleached denim and taxidermy crocodile heads. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010); Ensemble: It’s a Jungle Out There. Autumn/winter 1997–98. Jacket of brown pony skin with impala horns; trousers of bleached denim.Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. otography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010); “Oyster” Dress: Irere. Spring/summer 2003. Ivory silk organza, georgette, and chiffon.Courtesy of Alexander McQueen.Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Romantic Naturalism

Exhibition renderings by Joseph Bennett

“I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that.” Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Plato’s Atlantis. Spring/summer 2010. Silk jacquard in a snake pattern embroidered with yellow enamel paillettes in a honeycomb pattern. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Plato’s Atlantis. Spring/summer 2010. Gray wool and silk/synthetic knit printed in jellyfish pattern. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). “Jellyfish” Ensemble: Plato’s Atlantis. Spring/summer 2010. Dress, leggings, and “Armadillo” boots embroidered with iridescent enamel paillettes. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010. Dress: Widows of Culloden. Autumn/winter 2006–7. Pheasant feathers. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Widows of Culloden. Autumn/winter 2006–7. Cream silk tulle and lace with resin antlers. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Sarabande. Spring/summer 2007. Nude silk organza embroidered with silk flowers and fresh flowers. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: Sarabande. Spring/summer 2007. Cream silk satin and organza appliquéd with black degrade silk lace and embroidered in clear beads and sequins. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

House of Givenchy Haute Couture. Ensemble: Eclect Dissect. Autumn/winter 1997–98. Dress of black leather; collar of red pheasant feathers and resin vulture skulls; gloves of black leather. Courtesy of Givenchy Haute Couture. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

VOSS, Spring/Summer 2001

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: VOSS. Spring/summer 2001. Red and black ostrich feathers and glass medical slides painted red. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress: VOSS. Spring/summer 2001. Razor-clam shells stripped and varnished. Courtesy of Alexander McQueen. Photography by Sølve Sundsbø

Alexander McQueen (British, 1969–2010). Dress:. Fall 2010. gold-leaf-painted feather coat with gold-embroidered tulle skirt.

‘Approximately one hundred examples will be on view, including signature designs such as the bumster trouser, the kimono jacket, and the Origami frock coat, as well as pieces reflecting the exaggerated silhouettes of the 1860s, 1880s, 1890s, and 1950s that he crafted into contemporary silhouettes transmitting romantic narratives.

Five of McQueen’s landmark collections that explore his engagement with the Romantic sublime and the dialectics of beauty and horror will be interspersed among the galleries – Dante (autumn/winter 1996-97), # 13 (spring/ summer 1999), VOSS (spring/summer 2001), Irere (spring/summer 2003), and Plato’s Atlantis (spring/summer 2010).

“Alexander McQueen’s iconic designs constitute the work of an artist whose medium of expression was fashion,” said Thomas P. Campbell, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. “This landmark exhibition continues the Museum’s tradition of celebrating designers who changed the course of history and culture by creating new possibilities.” The exhibition is made possible by Alexander McQueen™. Additional support is provided in partnership with American Express and Condé Nast.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
May 4, 2011–July 31, 2011
Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Exhibition Hall, 2nd floor

For more information, opening hours and admission prices please visit WWW.METMUSEUM.ORG (212) 535-7710