A decade after his death, McQueen’s legacy remains more alive than ever. His universe is one of the biggest milestones in fashion from the 21st century.
In 1992 he graduated from the prestigious Saint Martins University with a collection named “Jack The Ripper Stalks His Victims”. It is referred to the murders in Whitechapel around 1880 by the serial killer Jack The Ripper. McQueen would take autobiographical elements for conceptual development, for example he mentioned that one of his ancestors owned the inn where some of the victims were killed. The collection featured a grotesque and twisted romance so far away from the runway concepts of the time, that it captivated the stylist Isabella Blow who bought the whole collection for a total of £ 5,000 becoming her mentor and friend.
The most disruptive point of the collection consists of the making of the labels. McQueen cut numerous strands of hair which he encapsulated in a plastic called Perspex and sewed next to his name; making reference to the Victorian Era, when it was frequent to give jewelry with the lover’s hair. It was commonly bought for prostitutes.
Written by @gionavarre
