British fashion is self confident and fearless. It refuses to bow to commerce, thus generating a constant flow of new ideas whilst drawing in British heritage.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the boldness and creativity of British fashion that stays true to its roots.
Alexander McQueen emphasizes the unique spirit of British fashion, which is characterized by its self-confidence and fearlessness. By staying true to its heritage and resisting commercial pressures, this fashion scene fosters a continuous stream of innovation and fresh ideas, making it distinct and vibrant.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of individuality in the arts.
My friend George and I were walking on the beach in Norfolk, and there were thousands of [razor-clam] shells. They were so beautiful, I thought I had to do something with them. So, we decided to make [a dress] out of them. . . . The shells had outlived their usefulness on the beach, so we put them to another use on a dress. Then Erin [O’Conner] came out and trashed the dress, so their usefulness was over once again. Kind of like fashion, really.
I want to be honest about the world that we live in, and sometimes my political persuasions come through in my work. Fashion can be really racist, looking at the clothes of other cultures as costumes. . . . That’s mundane and it’s old hat. Let’s break down some barriers.
I was this young boy and I saw this man with his hands round my sister's neck, I was just standing there with her two children beside me... Everything I've done since then was for the purpose of making women look stronger, not naïve. And so, when everyone started saying I was a misogynist, that really freaked me out. They didn't know me. They didn't know what I had seen in my life. That was the first part of fashion that I hated - people labeling me without knowing me.
I came to terms with not fitting in a long time ago. I never really fitted in. I don't want to fit in. And now people are buying into that.
Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment.
I'm interested in designing for posterity.
Don't be a writer; it's a terrible way to live your life. There's nothing to be gained from it but poverty and obscurity and solitude. So if you have a taste for all those things, which means that you really are burning to do it, then go ahead and do it. But don't expect anything from anybody.
I would have liked to be - indeed, I should have been - a second Rembrandt.
The camera sees more than the eye, so why not make use of it?
We are no longer the same after hearing certain sounds, and this is more the case when we hear organized sounds, sounds organized by another human being: music.
Music can be made anywhere, is invisible and does not smell.
A studio, like a poem, is an intimacy and a freedom you can look out from, into each part of your life and a little beyond.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.