Born Lee Alexander McQueen on 17 March 1969 in Lewisham, London, the youngest of six children. He left school at 16 and apprenticed on Savile Row at Anderson & Sheppard, then cut trousers at Gieves & Hawkes. He made theatre costumes for Les Misérables, worked briefly with Romeo Gigli in Milan, then enrolled at Central Saint Martins with no formal qualifications. His 1992 MA graduation collection, "Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims," was bought entirely by Isabella Blow, who became his patron and gave him his professional name. Highland Rape made him infamous at 26. At 27 he was appointed head designer at Givenchy, succeeding John Galliano. He won British Designer of the Year four times. His Spring 1999 show "No. 13" produced one of fashion's most iconic moments. Shalom Harlow stood in a white dress on a rotating platform as two industrial robots spray-painted her live. He designed David Bowie's Union Jack coat for the Earthling tour and Björk's Homogenic album cover.McQueen died on 11 February 2010, aged 40. The Metropolitan Museum's "Savage Beauty" retrospective became one of the most visited exhibitions in the institution's history. We're currently curating archival Alexander McQueen pieces alongside 172+ designers. Our platform opens this month, and access starts with the waitlist. Secure your spot. Link in bio. #variousarchives #alexandermcqueen #mcqueen #fashionarchives #archivefashion - @various.archives