• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.194-206
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• 2016

This study analyzed jackets by Alexander McQueen that have always pleased customers with traditional tailoring via every season's collection. This study categorized and then analyzed jackets by components such as silhouette, jacket length, collar, lapel, sleeve, shoulder line, and closure methods. To achieve the research goal, the study referred to photographs of 501 jackets introduced in signature brand collections by Alexander McQueen between 1996 and 2010. The analysis results on McQueen's jackets with the general components of the clothes indicated that the frequency of traditional tailoring components (such as lapels, tight sleeves, natural shoulder lines, and a button closing method) was higher than the frequency of designs of dramatic, deconstructive patterns examined by previously-conducted research. This shows that Alexander McQueen was cognizant to the responsibilities as a tailor and the basics of tailoring when developing jacket designs. This study also confirmed how McQueen enjoyed adding exaggerated jacket design components by making various use of details that emphasize drastic shapes like the hourglass silhouette, wing collar (that covers the shoulders), peaked lapel collar, kimono sleeve, bell sleeve, crescent shoulder, and pagoda shoulder.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.60 no.10
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• pp.118-132
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• 2010

The purpose of the research is to develop a systematic model to interpret makeup signs through a case analysis of makeup shown in Alexander McQueen's ready-to-wear collections from 2001 to 2010 and to prove an importance of makeup as a communication medium to deliver social and cultural values. This research employed Panofsky's Iconology theory to analyze data. This theory consists of three steps to interpret the meaning of a work: (1) pre-iconographical description, (2) iconographical analysis, and (3) iconological interpretation. Alexander McQueen's makeup was analyzed with the three steps in order. As a result of the pre-iconographical description step, makeup styles (icons) in his collections are identified which are Egyptian style, Gothic style, Androgynous style, Victorian style, Fantasia style, and Futuristic variant style. The iconographical analysis step identified that the elements used in his makeup are inspired by his identity and life. In the final step of iconological interpretation, the researcher concluded that Alexander McQueen's makeup expresses social, cultural, and aesthetical value of the time period when the collection was created. His makeup shows postmodernism that accepts a diversity of views (the pluralism) and humanism, romantic narcissism that is his personality trait, and avant-garde that pursues a new, creative aesthetics.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.24-37
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• 2019

This study focused on the fashion designer brand 'Alexander McQueen' to determine how butterflies are used in modern fashion through the sensibilities of certain designers. To this end, both a literature review and empirical research were conducted. First, we examined the origin of the word and appearance characteristics of butterflies based on prior research and a book, and also surveyed the tendencies used by the fashion designer brand Alexander McQueen. Second, out of 239 items announced by the fashion designer brand "Alexander McQueen" RTW (Ready to Wear) ranging from the S/S Collection in 2008 to the 2018-9 F/W collection, 73 pieces deemed to be fashion using butterfly images were collected through www.samsung.net and www.firstview.com, then analyzed based on timing and aesthetic characteristics. Results. The analysis by time period was divided into fantasy, handicraft, mix and match, and aesthetic characteristics shown in the order of compromise beauty, rhythmical beauty, and voluptuous beauty. The purpose of this study was to determine how butterflies are expressed in fashion based on the sensibility of a specific designer in modern fashion, the fashion designer brand 'Alexander McQueen'. Based on the results of this study, we hope that the information presented herein on fashion of natural images will serve as a basic material for similar research or design ideas as an example of designs based on butterfly images.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.155-168
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• 2011

This study aims at analyzing the Mix & Match fashion trend expressed in the Ready to Wear collections shown in 27 collections of 3 designers(Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Comme des Gar$\c{c}$ons) over the past five years from 2007S/S to 2011S/S, and the results are as follows. 1) The characteristics were a combination of past and modern, the past and past prominent fashions combined at a different time, these styles and details were seen in Alexander McQueen's collection. 2) The properties of combination were expressed as a clash of cultures, such as East and West or African and European. 3) The characteristics of the combinations were expressed by differences in purpose, such as outer garments or underwear. 4) Artistic combinations of Mixing & Matching happen through a component confusion of art and garments. 5) The characteristics of Mixing & Matching fashion were expressed in images, especially in the case of Jean Paul Gaultier.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.2 s.55
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• pp.300-313
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• 2005

Hybrid trend of the 21st century is an important basis to express fashion Alexander McQueen is a representative designer of Hybrid trend which combines heterogeneous elements into oneconcept. Accordingly, this study distributed and analyzed Hybrid trend which was in Alexander McQueen's work like below. First, there was a racial Hybrid trend which combined different local culture in shared space of the world in his fashion work and he challenged to Westernized ideal beauty with new recognition and knowledge about beside countries of Western Europe which were considered as not important culture due to perceiving relative value of a pluralist society and created new way aesthetic consciousness. Second, he expressed a historical character of a combination of tradition and modern by his fashion work based on wide historical knowledge of a dress. He created a new line in contrast to the past with a perfect design through combination of the style from the tradition with the parody and displayed his own design world. Third, he treated instability and disorder from the interior essential dissolution, thus he had a cultural character which broke down the boundary of cultural genre and style. This attitude showed transformation of constructivism and deconstruction view, secession and distortion, mixture, duplication, secession and insert by his fashion work.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.62 no.6
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• pp.165-181
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• 2012

Alexander McQueen is a typical designer of unconventional and experimental design who showed maximalism through outstanding tailoring. The purpose of this research is to study formative characteristics of maximalism that are expressed in modern fashion based on the works of Alexander McQueen, and to suggest boundless possibilities of development through his sense of design and the expressive ability of his works. Theoretical considerations will be made through literature research and precedent studies, and the collection data for case analysis will be used to select ready-to-wear women's collections from 2001 S/S to 2010 F/W by referring to internet sites. The study results are as follows. First, the most representative characteristic of formative characteristics of maximalism expressed in Alexander McQueen's works is expandability. Second, decorations used as a part of detail on clothes is used as decoration itself, and handcraft expression is shown through excessive use of decorations. The expandability of decoration that emphasizes splendid magnificence is expressed through flawless technique. Third, the fusion of each different image and the combination of ethnic image and modern image was most prevalent. Fourth, fantasy expresses a fictive image that could not be seen in reality by expressing an unrealistic and maximized image through the imagination of designer. Fifth, experimental element is expressed as an image that actively reflects the challenging spirit, which suggests a new direction of beauty through shocking and extraordinary images of the inner world of the designer and the root of new ideas about inhumane modern society.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.65 no.8
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• pp.77-94
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• 2015

Much western philosophical thinking is constrained by ocularcentrism. Hence, multi-sensory experiences hold the most prominent position in contemporary art, and visual tactility, where feelings of touch through sight, become a powerful medium of expression in fashion. This study analyzes visual tactility in Alexander McQueen's design, where design elements are in focus. This investigation aims to bring the concept of visual tactility in fashion, and by doing so, enhance valuable aesthetic possibility. The result of the study is as follows: First, Creative silhouette is something that is constructed by his impeccable cutting and tailoring skills. In fabrics, he often suggests unconventional materials by uncompromising approach to fashion. Color contrasts refer to color sensibility, which reminds of grotesque image. McQueen's aggressive aesthetic awareness results in visual tactility in fashion.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.455-463
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• 2020

This researcher has sorted out the development process of death aesthetics contained in human art through advanced research. This research is a follow-up study of related research, which studies the aesthetic meaning of death in Alexander McQueen's fashion works. This study first classifies the aesthetic characteristics of death, and then analyzes and sorts out the aesthetics of death in Alexander McQueen's clothing works based on this. The results of this study are as follows: first, the aesthetic manifestations of death are divided into three categories: reproducibility, symbolic and religious. Among them, the representation of reproducibility includes the representation of real objects and the representation of virtual objects, and the symbolic performance includes two types of external performance and internal performance. Second, in Alexander McQueen's works, the reproducibility of death was mainly reflected by virtual stage scenes and costumes. Thirdly, the symbolic death is not only reflected in the skeletons and blood etc. directly related to the death of the body, but also in the various emotions and psychological states caused by the death. Fourth, the religious nature of death was represented in Alexander McQueen's works through such representative things as crosses and religious stories.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.153-166
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• 2021

In this study, the artistic background and formative nature of representative 19th century realist artists Gustave Courbet and Honoré Daumier were analyzed and applied in a fashion context. By displaying representational desires (necessary adhesions of man and society) in their work, they became characteristic matrixes of critical realism and to perceive critical realism. The purpose of the study was to apply the characteristics of critical realism to the contemporary fashion collections of Alexander McQueen. Research was conducted to analyze the characteristics that appear in the field of fashion and to review methods of expression and internal aesthetics displayed through various aspects of fashion design. Characteristics of critical realism were analyzed by researching the formativeness and periodical background of the paintings of Courbet and Daumier. Based on these characteristics, analysis was conducted to identify critical realism in the fashion collections of Alexander McQueen. Data and scope included fashion information sites, internet photo data, and video material. Critical realist characteristics were categorized into five types as follows: 'The proper borrowing of extremely realistic subjects signifies', 'satirical reconstruction and narrative composition', 'antipathetic distortions and abject representations', 'critical reproductions based on technology', and 'the maximization of ambivalent sexuality'. It was concluded that the characteristics of critical realism (recognized by the common formation of Courbet and Daumier) also appeared in Alexander McQueen's fashion collection but were inherited in a form that transcended pictorial expression due to the overall difference in use of visual arts.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.262-280
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to analyze the organic forms, expressions, and characteristics of Alexander McQueen's fashion design and to present various materials for understanding and utilizing this organic design style. The criteria for organic design expressions and characteristics were classified through a literature review, and the organic design characteristics of Alexander McQueen's fashion were then analyzed. The results are as follows: First, the morphological characteristics of nature's forms are used as objects in Alexander McQueen's fashions to represent organic characteristics. Second, abstraction through the application of organic forms means creating an abstract representation of the object being represented. Abstracting organic forms occurs by partially modifying the structural features of the human body to show characteristics or by visualizing these characteristics within the surface of the natural object. Third, continuity through the expression of the formation process of organisms is characteristic of the expression of the gradual growth of organisms; this reinterpretation is based on the concept that the internal elements of natural objects affect their external forms. Fourth, the structure of using natural materials, as well as regional and cultural characteristics, is shown in the designs through use of the physical characteristics of expressions and materials that use natural elements. Fifth, symbolism through subjective thinking implies that the element of nature that an object expresses is the element that appears in nature; this includes created organisms along with environmental factors. These characteristics are best demonstrated in fashion designs that express themselves through creativity.