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.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of honesty in addressing societal issues, particularly racism in fashion.
Alexander McQueen expresses the need for transparency in the fashion industry, acknowledging that political beliefs can influence artistic work. He critiques the appropriation of other cultures in fashion, suggesting that viewing cultural attire merely as costumes perpetuates racism and outdated practices. By advocating for breaking down barriers, McQueen calls for a more respectful and thoughtful approach to fashion that honors cultures instead of exploiting them.
In practice
This quote could be used during a discussion on cultural appropriation in fashion classes.
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 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.
It is important to look at death because it is a part of life. It is a sad thing, melancholy but romantic at the same time. It is the end of a cycle - everything has to end. The cycle of life is positive because it gives room for new things.
Fashion is always of the time in which you live. It is not something standing alone. But the grand problem, the most important problem, is to rejeuvenate women. To make women look young. Then their outlook changes. They feel more joyous.
Don’t wear what you question, wear what you think is right for you.
Fashion should be about making clothes that make all women look beautiful, not making women starve so that they can fit in a size 8.
We're dealing with sophisticated customers. What's most important to these women is individuality. I have to create things she'll want to wear, no matter who she is.
A business woman needs a successful mix of design and practicality. I look for that special piece that sets the watch apart from the norm. I want to have something unique that differentiates itself with style and glamour.
When you're young, you think that clothes are almost magical, and that if you wear the right thing - to school, to the prom, on the date, etc. - something's going to happen. Black, it's the anti-magical thing. It comes from the recognition that it is not going to be 'the' dress.
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