The legacy of fame

by Neil Stacey

In the aftermath of Alexander McQueen’s tragic death there has been an outpouring of emotion and grief.

A fashion revolutionary has been lost to the world before his time – fashion will never be the same.

The darker side of fame has struck and taken another from us.

Sadly though, McQueen follows an illustrious line of stars who have taken their own lives – Elvis Presley, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Kurt Cobain.

All exceeded their dreams beyond their wildest imagination, and yet all paid a high price.

Fame is a goal many of us strive for at some point in our lives.

And while the average person only achieves a fragment of fame (15 minutes according to Andy Warhol), those whose talent catapults them to superstardom are both blessed and cursed.

Fame no doubt has its benefit, although as its roll call of tragedy lengthens it shows a stressful existence.

Fame monster

In pursuit of fame, one of Alexander McQueen’s fashion muses – Lady Gaga – named her first album The Fame. Her second album, though, is poignantly titled The Fame Monster.

It deals with the darker side of this seemingly posioned chalice, experienced by Gaga while travelling around the world.

It’s all led me to the question – are we crazy to be drawn to fame, or does fame make people crazy?

That’s a question for another day, but for now, let’s celebrate Alexander McQueen. Over the past few days the life and times, and naturally the designs of Alexander McQueen have been revealed for all to see.

He was the designer who clothed a thousand stars, but he was a troubled genius whose collections helped develop his reputation for controversy and shock tactics – and earned him the titles ‘l’enfant terrible’ and ‘the bad boy of fashion’.

The history books will record that Alexander McQueen forged a special place in the industry’s heart.

He had become Britain’s foremost fashion designer (four-times Designer of the Year, by the way) and his collections changed the course of modern fashion forever.

He inspired every fashion student with dreams of cracking the industry, proving that with raw talent and determination anything is possible, regardless of background.

Maybe that will be his lasting legacy to all of us at UAL, not just the students of fashion.