To paraphrase one of my favorite books: It’s the best of times; it’s the worst of times – in the fashion world that is. The excitement of New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2010 has been overshadowed by the loss of one of the greatest talents this business has ever known. I know the news has been saturated with this story, but as a fashion lover, I must acknowledge Alexander McQueen’s footprint (or mega-heel print) on fashion.
Lee “Alexander” McQueen’s untimely death this week shocked and saddened everyone who has ever remotely cared about the fashion industry. The London-based designer was an aesthetic genius, who pushed the boundaries of fashion and who created walking art. He was an iconic renegade in the sense that his darker side often drove his creativity and he was reluctant to conform to commercialism. His collections were always figurative and the messages resonated in his craft. Mr. McQueen’s contribution to this business will be vacant, but I have no doubt his legacy will live on.
On a lighter note, the brutal blizzards hitting the East Coast are not stopping fashion fanatics. Today was only the second day of presentations, but collections are not disappointing. I love the sensibility of this season’s shows and the incorporation of color, even in models’ hair!
Here’s a quick recap of some of my favorites so far: Preen continues to do tailored looks to perfection. Jason Wu’s show was inspired by Irving Penn’s beautiful black and white photography. BCBG MaxAzria went for effortless pieces. L.A.M.B. was sprinkled with the expected animal prints, boudoir elements and military motifs. Ports 1961 did an interesting interpretation of technology vs. nature.
Although it’s been an interesting week in fashion, I truly believe lovers of this industry can appropriately acknowledge tragedy and trends simultaneously. Long live fashion!
All images courtesy of Getty Images.