The McQueen years… (part three)
Where: Paris – When: 6th October 2009 – What: Backstage at the Alexander McQueen show
Last but not least of my adventures at la casa de McQueen…
After a week working day and night for the sake of fashion with just a few distractions to keep us away from our duties (…castings, interviews, and an express visit from Anna Wintour) it was finally there…
The day of the fashion show!
9 am arrival at the studio…
Although during the first days everybody tends to make an effort to look good/presentable, on the last day nobody really cares or tries… When a shower is the minimum requirement, make up is seen as an act of bravery… It’s a miracle if we only remember our names! Beside the general exhaustion, we were all really excited as we were finally going to see our work come to life and that was priceless (or in this case sleepless).
Even though we worked for a week non stop it still felt like everything needed to be done… While some students were packing up the finished clothes to take to the venue I was working like crazy on the same jacket for the past 5 days with Ms Flo and it felt like it was going nowhere… We had the head of the studio Sara Burton (now creative director of the label) coming in for check up every now and then.
Along with us on the late wagon was the titanic dress, the jellyfish suit and the shipwrecked dress. By 5pm all the capable persons of the studio where requisitioned for help on those four pieces. Even if you were just passing by to ask for a pen… Well, you had to help.
Around 6pm we all went to the show location to continue working on our allocated pieces. Team McQueen was the first to arrived but soon we had the make up artists, hair dressers, nail technicians, catering team, models, photographers, journalists, VIPs, security guys, health and safety guys, Pr people… No need to say that it became crowded in no time.
The four dresses finished we were ready to dress the models. This can be a difficult task looking at the designs but it went alright. It had to. The secret of the McQueen silouhette lies in a 22 inch (it can go from 22 to 24) waist cincher (55-60cm) which helps create the hourglass shape that most models don’t have due to their small frames. From the moment all the models are dressed it goes really fast…
Show’s over.
On the front row everybody claps, backstage everyone hugs. Suddently the whole room is filled with love. Yes we all love each other, even if we didn’t the day before. It’s like a new beginning. We made it! From now on we can take on the world… ! Or at least that’s the general spirit.
This was the last time I saw Alexander McQueen happy, as after that show I left the team for other adventures… Sadly it was his last show too… I didn’t know back then that it was the last time I would ever saw him, otherwise I would have said something to him… not much, just: thank you.
“Clothes and and jewellery should be startling, individual. When you see a woman in my clothes, you want to know more about them. To me, that is what distinguishes good designers from bad designers.” A.Mcqueen
Watch the video of the show here
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wow, amazing photos! You were so lucky to attend McQueen's last show…
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You were so so lucky..
http://www.linda-mari.com -
Amazing darling! This looks so amazing. And the quote from A. Mcqueen is wonderful. How did you end up working with Alexander Mcqueen?!? .. so awesome!
<3 Kelly
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These are some truly amazing photos. What a fantastic event to be part of. And I still can't get over those shoes!
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what an absolutely incredible experience! THANK YOU for sharing these pics and documenting your experience. mcqueen was such tremendous loss to world of fashion…designers and creative geniuses like him don't come along very often.
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YAY i love mcqeen flashbacks it makes me miss his genius but i know his crazy view on fashion will live on as legend!
great post!x-casey
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wow love your pictures and your blog.
It is a real pitty that Alexander is no more! -
I just cannot get enough of these stories and pictures! Truely amazing!
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wow, incredible shots. i'll never get over that collection! the shoes, the hair.. xxx
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this is so amazing posting.
I'm so happy to see those pics ! -
omg i wish i had your job!!!
i love the last picture, those shoes are art!!!!!!!!
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LOVE YOUR BLOG
keep it up!! great inspiration
thanks for sharing as always!-cma
COSMICaroline.blogspot.com -
AAAAMZING! those clothes were insane, and loved all the crazy hair and alien-like faces!
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great pics! but this shoes are horrible! :P
have a nice day!
Daisy
http://daisyline.blogspot.com/ -
These pics are unnnnbelievable! Thanks for sharing them, they are so special! It's funny to see all those hair braids in the bags. The models look like creatures from another world that live close to the sea!!! Love the line up pics too.Your blog is totally rockin!
xoxo The Beckerman Girls -
Those shoes are the ultimate shoes!! I love the white, carved platforms, there is something so Roman about them! It must have been an incredible experience! xo
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your blog is awesome, take a look on mine
http://sketchbooksix.blogspot.com/
Maybe we can follow each other? -
OOOH you're so lucky,amazing experience!
i follow your blog on blogspot/bloglobin follow me? <3
xx simonaHTTP://FASHIONUANCE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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OOOH you're so lucky,amazing experience!
i follow your blog on blogspot/bloglobin follow me? <3
xx simonaHTTP://FASHIONUANCE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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fabulous fabulous fabulous xxxx
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amazing backstage photos! Love McQueen – so sad that he is no longer with us.
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Love the hairdos!!
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cette collection était…démente! elle m'obsède encore, surtout les chaussures…
tu as eu beaucoup de chance!bises
Nadia
PS: c'est toujours sympa de découvrir le blog d'une compatriote!
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I just wanted to tell you that reading that made me cry. I didn't want anything more in life than meeting Lee. You are very lucky you have worked with him. I'm studying Fashion Design and it was my dream to do what you did. But i will never have that opportunity :( Congratulations and thank you very much for sharing those photos.
Catalina, from Argentina. -
You are so lucky, it looks like a ton of fun!
Eat, Sleep, Denim <3 -
This is a great post with beautiful photos. It's nice to read an insiders perspective on what the show was like. Lucky you, minus the exhaustion of course!
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amazing pictures, great post! x
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Great coverage I am loving all the amazing looks :) Great blog, Would love for you to check out my mine too! x
MadiChic
http://www.madichic.blogspot.com -
Thank you all for your comments!
@Catalina: I'm sorry if my post made you cry, I totally understand your pain. McQueen leaving came as a shock but although you didn't get to work with him at least you saw him become the great person he was… The future generations won't probably understand his art like we did….
@Nadia: Merci…! Oui vive les blogeuses belges ;)
@Kelly: Thanks! I sent my cv to their headoffice in London and got in for an interview.. then a second one, and then I joined the nest ;)
Yes it was an amazing experience, for the work but also the people I met…
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The white sculptured heels are unbelievable. Fantastic post.
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this is seriously such an amazing post. It's great to see a behind the scenes look..and for such a legend.
great job<3.
xx,
Christina, IFB Moderator -
amazing photos! x
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incredible photos, the hair, the clothes, the shoes, everything was out of control amazing. he will be sorely missed
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Hopefully I'll be doing as exciting things as you one day!
Great posts x
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34 Comments