Alexander McQueen SAVAGE BEAUTY at the Met

On July 16th, the FIDM NY Alumni Chapter organized a sort of "fieldtrip" for NY-based alums to see the acclaimed Alexander McQueen "Savage Beauty"exhibit at the Met. I went and I must say I am SO GLAD they did this for us... because just weeks later, the waiting time and line for this particular exhibition was literally out the door and around the block! By the last day, it was reported that Savage Beauty attracted over 600,000 visitors, a record for a fashion-related exhibit!! INSANE.

In my attempt to write about my experience at the Met... I came to the conclusion that it is hard, if not impossible, to put in words just how AMAZING it was. For those of you who were fortunate enough to see it, you should know what I mean... it was a completely indescribable experience. I will try to summarize though....

Our wait wasn't long... between catching up with old schoolmates, meeting new ones, and admiring the beautiful interiors of the Met, we got to the exhibit fairly quickly. From the moment you walk in to the very end... you are taken on a journey... one that I believe was a glimpse of Lee McQueen's mind. It felt like a dream... to be THIS close to his masterpieces. The ominous soundtrack in the background, the different eras... and the CLOTHES.... my god, I was at lost for words. From the impressive tailoring to the showstopping gowns to the sculptural corsets to the fantastical headpieces and accessories... oh and the hologram of Kate Moss was cool to watch and various videos from his runway archives brought everything to life. I completely drooled over all the one-of-a-kind, never before seen pieces from the Isabella Blow collection (on loan from the Hon. Daphne Guinness). Everything felt like a fantasy. A dark, gloomy yet beautifully crafted fantasy. My jaw was on the floor the entire way... my eyes wide... my heart beat-fully ran... and I gasped at almost every step. Here was a man who changed the way we look at fashion--even beyond fashion...every reference was something deep, a piece of history, a piece of ancestry, something that meant a lot to him. I admired the way he looked into the ugly of things and made it beautiful. He saw things and knew things we often overlook. He made fashion come to life again.


Towards the end as I stared deeply into his final collection, I couldn't help but get emotional. Lee is no longer here with us, I instantly remembered to myself. He was an artist. That is no question. Savage Beauty... what a way to commemorate a legend, the presentation rightfully honored him the way it should. I will never forget how moved I was and I am grateful for such an experience. Many thanks to the curator at the Met for putting on such a presentation... it not only praises a genius of our time, but affirms once again that FASHION IS ART.

#LongLiveMcQueen

Check out Natalie Alvarado's coverage from the exhibit with great candid photos right from her iphone!