Fashion Icon Alexander McQueen Found Dead

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 11th 2010 10:43AM

British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead Thursday at his home of an apparent suicide. He was 40. McQueen was discovered at his luxury flat in Green Park, central London, where it is believed he hanged himself. He died just days after the loss of his mother, Joyce. "It is a tragic loss," McQueen's office said in a statement to UK's Daily Mail. "We are not making a comment at this time out of respect for the McQueen family." The notable designer had a large list of celebrity clients including Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Alba, Beyonce and Naomi Campbell.

McQueen's contemporary line, McQ, was scheduled to be shown at New York Fashion Week on Thursday afternoon. KCD, the PR company handling the show, says the presentation is canceled.

Born Lee Alexander McQueen, the designer was the youngest of six children and left school at 16 to work as a tailor apprentice at Savile Row's Anderson & Sheppard, whose clients included Prince Charles and Mikhail Gorbachev.

"At this stage it is inappropriate to comment on this tragic news beyond saying that we are devastated and are sharing a sense of shock and grief with Lee's family," his family says in a statement (via PEOPLE.) "Lee's family has asked for privacy in order to come to terms with this terrible news and we hope the media will respect this."

His death also comes just three years after his close friend Isabella Blow killed herself. Blow discovered McQueen during her tenure as fashion director of Tatler. According to friends, McQueen was so distraught by her death that he dedicated his spring summer 2008 show at Paris Fashion Week to his late friend.

The Lady Gaga / Alexander McQueen Connection

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Remembering Alexander McQueen

Naomi Campbell and Alexander McQueen attend the private dinner at Caprice on September 21, 2009 in London, England. More photos of the late fashion icon >>

Dave M. Benett, Getty Images

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: (L-R) Actress Elizabeth Banks, designer Alexander McQueen, and actress Olivia Wilde arrive at the Alexander McQueen store opening held at the new Alexander McQueen store on May 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Alexander McQueen) *** Local Caption *** Elizabeth Banks;Alexander McQueen;Olivia Wilde

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: (L-R) Singer Eve, designer Alexander McQueen, and actress Joy Bryant arrive at the Alexander McQueen store opening held at the new Alexander McQueen store on May 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Alexander McQueen) *** Local Caption *** Eve;Alexander McQueen;Joy Bryant

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 13: Designer Alexander McQueen (L) and singer Janet Jackson pose during the Alexander McQueen store opening held at the new Alexander McQueen store on May 13, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Alexander McQueen) *** Local Caption *** Alexander McQueen;Janet Jackson

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 21: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK TABLOID NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Naomi Campbell and Alexander McQueen attend the private dinner hosted by editor of British Vogue, Alexandra Shulman in association with Net-A-Porter.com in honour of 25 years of London Fashion Week and Nick Knight, at Caprice on September 21, 2009 in London, England. (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Naomi Campbell;Alexander McQueen

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen and Sarah Jessica Parker (Photo by Rabbani and Solimene Photography/WireImage)

R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

In 1994, McQueen enrolled in London's prestigious Central Saint Martins Fashion School, and upon graduating, he set up his own label based in the East End of London. Openly gay, McQueen once described himself as the 'pink sheep of the family'. He married his partner, filmmaker George Forsyth, in the summer of 2000.

The celebrated designer won numerous industry accolades, including being named International Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designer Awards. In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II made him a Commander of the British Empire for his contribution to fashion.

The news of McQueen's death has sent shock-waves through the big tent at Bryant Park, where New York Fashion Week is held.

Cindi Leive, editor-in-chief of Glamour magazine, said: "Everyone in this tent is shocked. ... He was obviously incredibly talented and had a creative energy. There was a real sense of energy in everything he did."

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour issued the following statement: "We are devastated to learn of the death of Alexander McQueen, one of the greatest talents of his generation. He brought a uniquely British sense of daring and aesthetic fearlessness to the global stage of fashion. In such a short career, Alexander McQueen's influence was astonishing - from street style, to music culture and the world's museums. His passing marks an insurmountable loss."

Tags: alexander mcqueen, Lady Gaga

Comments

(26)

Thursday 11 February

By Lori

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Suicide, such a selfish act. My prayers go out to all his family and friends, what a sad thing to happen

By lucitee

You are SO right, Lori! It IS a selfish act! If the ones who are contemplating suicide would just STOP AND THINK of what it will do
to those who CARE about you, you would NEVER consider it! There is ALWAYS hope! If you ARE considering it, put it off for a week. Visit a nursing home, an orphanage, homeless facility, but most of all a CHURCH! Twenty five years ago I got to that point. Every day afterwards I would realize what I would have missed if I had gone through with it!

By youngblood

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

who are you to judge?

By mona

I could not believe it upon reading!!! He was such an inspiring and passionate designer... And had such a great charisma! An awful lost!

By magusap

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Why would he kill himself? He should'nt have killed himself and just talk to someone about whatever that was bothering him. Killing himself is not the answer, that's so sad.

By Lisa

Sure it wasn't auto-erotically induced??? If you read the article, it specifies that his mother died days before, and his close friend Isabella Blow killed herself...suicide pact??? Sad to his family, but what a stupid thing to do!!!

By sakrhanan

THANKS

By sumgirl

I'm so bummed.
Fashion was so much better with his tongue-in-cheek brilliance. He will certainly be missed...

By JVB

So sad. I can't believe it. He was so amazing.

By Robert

He was "so amazing" JVB???????? Wow, you're easily impressed!!!

By WILL

SUICIDE IS A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO A TEMPORARY SITUATION

By Maribel Caban

OMG! In shock. In tears. We'll miss Alexander McQueen!

By mondolulu

Basically, a person's life is up to them and one cannot live solely for others' satisfaction. I think if someone wants to die, it is up to that person. Is it sad? Yes. Very.

By A Voice for Steve

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You are cruel

By Raul

Mc Queen was brillant ! What a loss. RIP Lee.

By Lindi

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am I the only one who doesn't care? His life, his choice, his decision...respect it!

By Tuula

Will be missed...God save out gracious Queen long live out noble Queen God save the Queen.
Send her victorious happy and glorious long to reign over us, God save the Queen. Her Majesty Elizabeth the II

By tana green

Sad to hear of another suicide, but really, it's not my business to approve or condemn. Why is always a mystery when a person takes his or her own life. We'll never know. RIP

By TJ

Are you speaking from experience??

By camelot

Wow,,,this guy had it made....But it seemed like he lost his close close friends. Someone should have been with him 24 hours all the time when he lost his Mother. Sometimes when your at the Top of what you do, you can be so lonely.

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