While the fashion world is mourning the loss of one of its greatest,
Alexander McQueen, we are comforted in knowing that his creative legacy will forever live on.
The youngest son of a taxi driver,
McQueen grew up to push the boundaries of design, art and showmanship like few others.
From his first controversy-laden collection at
Central Saint Martins -- which his future muse and champion
Isabella Blow would buy in full -- to the Spring/Summer 1999 show which concluded with
Shalom Harlow being pelted by paint-wielding robots, the designer was a style innovator and entertainer.
His countless fans will never forget the projection of an ethereal
Kate Moss hologram at the Fall 2006 presentation, nor his last show,
Spring/Summer 2010, in which he sent dozens of futuristic models in pod-like mini-dresses and
insect-inspired shoes down the runway.
With
mind-blowing hair and makeup, theatrical staging and, of course, the incomparable clothing itself --
StyleList takes a look back at some of
McQueen's most captivating runway moments.
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Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Alexander McQueen's most memorable looks over the years.
Getty Images
WireImage.com
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010
McQueen's final runway show, named Plato's Atlantis, was also one of his most talked about seasons, thanks in part to these towering heels and animalistic prints.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010
Pod-like mini-dresses prove the designer's deft tailoring skills, first learned on London's Savile Row.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009
Never one to shy away from controversy, the exaggerated lips on McQueen's models sparked debate.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009
McQueen's second-to-last runway show was a spectacle combining the ideas of bag ladies, clowns and Dior's New Look.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009
Teenage model Karlie Kloss wears one of the designer's museum-worthy ballgowns.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2009
McQueen's model does hobo-chic mixed with sharp tailoring. (Note the trash bag top and hub cap headpiece.)
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2008
This collection paid homage to his best friend and muse, the late Isabella Blow, who took her own life in May 2007.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2008
The designer's Birds of Paradise-printed pieces became some of the strongest looks to come out of the Spring/Summer 2008 season.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2008.
Giving a nod to Isabella Blow's love of hats, McQueen surrounds his model's head with an eccentric butterfly bouquet.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective
Paris Fashion Week Fall 2008
The royal finale look fit for a queen.
Alexander McQueen - A Retrospective