Sarah Jessica Parker attended the Costume Institute Gala in 06 with the designer

British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead in his London home today, of an apparent hanging suicide. He was 40 years old.

From his childhood, McQueen (whose first name was actually Lee) knew that he wanted to be a designer; he pursued his dream and after receiving his masters in fashion design, his final project was famously purchased in its entirety by influential Brit stylist, Isabella Blow, who committed suicide three years ago by drowning herself in weed killer.

Katie Holmes in Alexander McQueen

McQueen went on to head the house of Givenchy (and a lot of controversy ensued due to his animosity toward the company’s head and what was seen as outrageous style) — he remained there from 1996 to 2001. During this time (in 2000), he married his partner, George Forsyth, a documentary film maker (Kate Moss was a bridesmaid); the couple split the following year.

Cameron Diaz in Alexander McQueen

He preferred designing for himself, which he said didn’t hamper his creative process. The designer’s style was outrageous, oozing with edgy originality,  and encompassed what avant-garde fashion was meant to be. His celebrity fan list was extensive, with everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Lady Gaga to Cameron Diaz wearing his designs. He never sought out the celebrity angle, however, not wanting the star to outshine his designs.

Camilla Belle in Alexander McQueen

McQueen’s mother passed away three days ago and he lamented the death via Twitter, saying that he was having a hard time. Friends likely didn’t realize quite how hard.

Though fashion week begins in New York, it is the end of a fashion era. This legendary designer will be remembered for his ability to push the fashion envelope and for pursuing a dream he recognized from raw talent.

Tags: Celebrity Fashion, Fashion

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 12:05 pm and is filed under fashion&style. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.