Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty, at the Met

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I went with a few friends on Friday to the McQueen exhibit at the MET.  A must see.  Keep in mind that the lines are long but if you are a member you go to the front of the line and just walk in.  The cost of becoming a member is worth it and you are supporting one of the most important museums in the world. 

McQueen was a genius.  This is an exhibit of his creativity not of what was sold at retail.  This was the haute couture.  As we all know, McQueen took his own life over a year ago.  What he created gives all of us a peak into his mind.  The exhibit is dark yet beautiful at the same time. There is no doubt that McQueen was brilliant. 

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One of the things that has always set McQueen apart from many designers is that he began his career on Saville Road truly understanding how to create a garment.  So the actual clothes that he sold to the consumer had an elegance with details that for the right person just hung beautifully on the body. 

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One of the first pieces you see when entering the exhibit is a jaw dropping dress that is sophisticated and elegant and yet as you move closer to the dress you notice that the dress is made of the shells of razor clams.  That dress sets the stage for what is to come through out the exhibit.  One of my favorite items is a small hat and inside the hat are jewel encrusted robins eggs.  Delicate and bold.

Astounding show.  Get the book because the show is so large and there is so much to take in that to able to sit comfortably on your couch and really read what McQueen's thought process and inspiration behind these unwearable yet brilliant concepts just takes your breath away. 

 

Comments (Archived):

  1. awaldstein

    I was completely blown away by this exhibit.My impressions were similar to yours:http://bit.ly/mlEnoK

    1. Gotham Gal

      All true except I did notice the crowds!

  2. Laura Yecies

    Thanks for letting me know about this – I will be in NY for the day next week and will try to go.

  3. Mwilkotz

    Loved it!  The people in front of me mentioned crying at the hologram, which I thought was pretentious until I found myself tearing up watching Kate Moss and the dress appear.

  4. Ghorwood

    Here’s another tip for beating the lines: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytim…

    1. Gotham Gal

      wow. it is amazing how packed the show has been.

  5. scg

    Liked the exhibit. Hated the crowds. It was the women in the last gallery who were touching the dress and shoes in the exhibit which put me over the top. Waiting for hours. Managing the extreme crowds. Dark and obnoxious experience. Overall? I think it is an over-hyped show. 

    1. Gotham Gal

      unfortunately crowds are tough but if you can get past the crowds and truly appreciate the brilliance of his artistry it was worth it. get the book and enjoy it at your leisure.