Sketches: Savage Beauty exhibiton

Hello ladies and jellyspoons! I was going through some folders in my computer and I came across some pictures of my sketches I did at the Alexander McQueen exhibition "Savage Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last year. I would provide picture-pictures but I wanted to respect the no-photography policy of the exhibition, even if I did see many others sneaking pictures with their iPhones.
The MET wasn't kidding when they said that Savage Beauty was one of the most visited exhibitions in all of MET history; the line was extremely lengthy and spilled into other exhibitions on the same floor. It's also very hard to draw when tons of other people are bumping into you nonstop.(＞＜;) It's like drawing in a moshpit.

I did get one!! picture. Hohoho 

I would think many people associate McQueen with Lady Gaga, as she wore many of his designs for music videos and ceremonies. I love both, but I felt like that saying "That's so Lady Gaga!!!" at the exhibition is a bit much. While I probably would not have come across McQueen if it weren't for Gaga, I feel that McQueen's work invokes a deep and rich backstory that casual Gaga fans may miss. In brief, both are amazing, but McQueen's creations outshines Gaga in its own way.

 But before I yap more, I present the pictures!

First two introduction dresses and The Romantic Mind

The Romantic Gothic

Cabinet of Curiosities and Romantic Nationalism

Highland Rape, Kate Moss Hologram and Romantic Exoticism

Beginning of Romantic Primitism

I think my favorite parts of the exhibition were Romantic Nationalism and The Cabinet of Curiosities. Of course every single part of this exhibition was phenomenal, to the pieces themselves, to the appropriate soundtrack and lighting in every room, to the careful and thoughtful manner the pieces were displayed. The themes that McQueen presents in his work, naturalism and primitism, life and death, dark and light, are things I personally love and find in my favorite kind of artwork. McQueen revealed that he was willing to go beyond and above, choosing to make dresses out of shells, animal hair, glass and more. I like a designer if they make beautiful clothes, but I truly respect the designer if he/she can think outside of the box, and think of unconventional ways of construction to make something truly fantastic. That's what I felt like what exactly McQueen did.

I did pull off a video from Youtube for more viewing pleasure!


I went home and did some homework, and I think the Fall/Winter 2008 collection is my favorite of the things he's created.

I love the monotone androgynous frilled suits with tartan-like print, every little crystal detail in the dresses and headpieces and dresses fit for a queen in luxurious colors of red/blue/gold.  

At my first few days attending SVA, I got lost trying to find the train station  managed to stumble across the NY McQueen store. I approached the store with my too large portfolio bag in hand and the doorman opened the door for me. I saw a couple inside shopping; and the lady really seemed intent on walking out with purchased goods, and I felt so derp being a broke freshman college student in a store where nothing was under $500, ahaha XD
But in short, McQueen may no longer be with us physically, but he remains a dear icon to the fashion world and that will never change.