4.61/5
Author: Andrew Bolton, Sølve Sundsbø
Publication Date: May 31, 2011
Formats: PDF,Hardcover
Rating: 4.61/5 out of 2830
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fan Club Reviews of best titles on art fashion, artists, history, photography. Check out our top reviews and see what others have to say about the best art and photography books of the year. Check out Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Community Reviews - Find out where to download Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty available in multiple formats:Hardcover Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Author:Andrew Bolton,Sølve Sundsbø Formats:Hardcover Publication Date:May 31, 2011
Arguably the
most influential, imaginative, and provocative designer of his
generation, Alexander McQueen both challenged and expanded fashion
conventions to express ideas about race, class, sexuality, religion, and
the environment.
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
examines the full breadth of the designer’s career, from the start
of his fledgling label to the triumphs of his own world-renowned London
house. It features his most iconic and radical designs, revealing how
McQueen adapted and combined the fundamentals of Savile Row tailoring,
the specialized techniques of haute couture, and technological
innovation to achieve his distinctive aesthetic. It also focuses on the
highly sophisticated narrative structures underpinning his collections
and extravagant runway presentations, with their echoes of avant-garde
installation and performance art.
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Published to coincide with an exhibition at
The Metropolitan Museum of Art organized by The Costume Institute, this
stunning book includes a preface by Andrew Bolton; an introduction by
Susannah Frankel; an interview by Tim Blanks with Sarah Burton, creative
director of the house of Alexander McQueen; illuminating quotes from
the designer himself; provocative and captivating new photography by
renowned photographer Sølve Sundsbø; and a lenticular
cover by Gary James McQueen.
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty celebrates the astounding
creativity and originality of a designer who relentlessly questioned
and confronted the requisites of fashion.
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Aug 19, 2011
I know basically nothing about fashion. I do know, though, that this book pulls off something kind of extraordinary: convincing me not only that McQueen deserved a posthumous retrospective at the Met (I was never much in doubt on that score) but also that McQueen was as pure and complete an artist as ever lived. He's Miles Davis. He's Van Gogh. McQueen was everything an artist should be: endlessly innovative, aware of the past and concerned for the future, literate, tireless, deeply invested in I know basically nothing about fashion. I do know, though, that this book pulls off something kind of extraordinary: convincing me not only that McQueen deserved a posthumous retrospective at the Met (I was never much in doubt on that score) but also that McQueen was as pure and complete an artist as ever lived. He's Miles Davis. He's Van Gogh. McQueen was everything an artist should be: endlessly innovative, aware of the past and concerned for the future, literate, tireless, deeply invested in the act of making with one's hands. His work is personal, born out of his own passions, sexuality, nationality, tragedy. It transcends fashion. You could give this book to young writers in lieu of Letters to a Young Poet. ...moreMay 22, 2011
Of course you should see the Savage Beauty installation at the Met before you even glance at this book....It's a multi-sensory experience. Dark. Deep. Industrial. Colourful. Tailored. Baroque. Broken. Bumstered. Political. Poetical. Magical. Feathered. And eerie, windswept sounds come at you around every corner. The mannequins are masked and faceless and in that sense, they are everyone and also...no one. In the book...well...humans become surreal. The installation is an extravaganza of theatre, Of course you should see the Savage Beauty installation at the Met before you even glance at this book....It's a multi-sensory experience. Dark. Deep. Industrial. Colourful. Tailored. Baroque. Broken. Bumstered. Political. Poetical. Magical. Feathered. And eerie, windswept sounds come at you around every corner. The mannequins are masked and faceless and in that sense, they are everyone and also...no one. In the book...well...humans become surreal. The installation is an extravaganza of theatre, avant-garde art, fashion, music, film....drama...Dec 12, 2015
I first borrowed this book from the library.May 15, 2011
Fashion as ArtJun 06, 2012
This compilation of quotes and detailed photographs of McQueen's work is breathtaking. My favourite quotes: "There's blood beneath every layer of skin"; "I don't think like the average person on the street. I think quiet perversely sometimes"; "Life to me is a bit of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale"; "In this collection the idea was to turn people's faces on themselves. I wanted to turn it around and make them think, am I actually as good as what I'm looking at?"; "I'm a romantic This compilation of quotes and detailed photographs of McQueen's work is breathtaking. My favourite quotes: "There's blood beneath every layer of skin"; "I don't think like the average person on the street. I think quiet perversely sometimes"; "Life to me is a bit of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale"; "In this collection the idea was to turn people's faces on themselves. I wanted to turn it around and make them think, am I actually as good as what I'm looking at?"; "I'm a romantic schizophrenic";"Women should look like women. A piece of cardboard has no sexuality"; "Remember Sam Taylor-Wood's dying fruit? Things rot... I used flowers because they die"; "Beauty can come from the strangest of places, even the most disgusting of places"; "It's the ugly things I notice more, because other people tend to ignore the ugly things"; "It needs to connect with the earth. Things that are processed and reprocessed lose their substance." ...moreOct 27, 2018
A visually beautiful tapestry of art that is an expression of Alexander McQueen’s growth from a working class family to creating high couture for the upper echelons of global society. His art is not without darkness, and it was his tormented dichotomy and internal struggle that arguably made for his best work (his romantic gothic work in Autumn/Winter 2010-11 season, or ‘Highland Rape’ in autumn/winter 1995-96 season). What really struck me about his art (moving pieces on humans) was the pain he A visually beautiful tapestry of art that is an expression of Alexander McQueen’s growth from a working class family to creating high couture for the upper echelons of global society. His art is not without darkness, and it was his tormented dichotomy and internal struggle that arguably made for his best work (his romantic gothic work in Autumn/Winter 2010-11 season, or ‘Highland Rape’ in autumn/winter 1995-96 season). What really struck me about his art (moving pieces on humans) was the pain he felt, transformed by sharp relief into beauty.Oct 02, 2015
I should clarify that I know about as much regarding fashion as I do maintaining a yacht--so nothing. Nevertheless, I had been handed this book by a lovely person to browse through and so I did and thank you Emma. The designs, with a few exceptions (the underwater stuff, a few of the Highland rape designs etc.), are rather magnificent and often phantasmagoric, subverted, unexpected, twisted, dark, imaginative, and innovative. The collection inspired by Edgar Allan Poe I especially enjoyed. As I should clarify that I know about as much regarding fashion as I do maintaining a yacht--so nothing. Nevertheless, I had been handed this book by a lovely person to browse through and so I did and thank you Emma. The designs, with a few exceptions (the underwater stuff, a few of the Highland rape designs etc.), are rather magnificent and often phantasmagoric, subverted, unexpected, twisted, dark, imaginative, and innovative. The collection inspired by Edgar Allan Poe I especially enjoyed. As for the layout of this collection, I suppose it would benefit someone who had gone to see the exhibition as a programme and such a person may be able to gleam more from the collection as they'd know the context unlike me. The book is scattered with quotes, often amusing, sometimes asinine, from McQueen that help the reader understand his motives for the work, along with interviews with not-Alexander McQueen. So, whether you know his work, in which case you already probably own this, or are on the fence or just plain ignorant, leafing through this beautifully put together collection could prove to be a delight with surprising designs, most of which have their own unique haunting quality that makes each page turn an unexpected journey into the mind of a troubled, gifted artist. So, ultimately, there's no real reason why someone should not look through this collection. That is all, I'm done my short review sexy-sleeping time E.L. STALKER. ...moreSep 10, 2011
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Each illustration became my favorite- page after page of the most exquisite fashion, beautifully presented and photographed.Jan 23, 2012
Companion edition to the McQueen exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The majority of the content here is photographs of exhibition pieces, posed on mannequins, shown context-free save for occasional quotes from the designer. There are also some sets of smaller photographs that are live action shots from various runway presentations. It was tempting to jump right in and just look at the pictures, but I'm glad I read the preface and introduction first - they were crucial for background Companion edition to the McQueen exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The majority of the content here is photographs of exhibition pieces, posed on mannequins, shown context-free save for occasional quotes from the designer. There are also some sets of smaller photographs that are live action shots from various runway presentations. It was tempting to jump right in and just look at the pictures, but I'm glad I read the preface and introduction first - they were crucial for background and context on McQueen's life and work. The interview with Sarah Burton at the end is also an interesting read.Nov 12, 2014
Jul 25, 2011
The installation curated by Andrew Bolton at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is absolutely wonderful, astonishing, extraordinary! I would give this book five stars if it contained photographs from the actual installation -- raw concrete stages, aged mirrors, Cabinet of Curiosities room, etc. This 8.5 minute video will give you a good overview of the "experience": http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermc...Aug 20, 2017
For many, fashion is superficial, fickle and unstable, a way for people to ostentatiously show off their wealth, and sense of style (or lack thereof). But for some, the act of creating fashion is literally the very fabric in how they can fully express themselves beyond just dressing themselves to step out and be within the definition of appearing ‘publicly decent’.Aug 11, 2011
I had very high hopes for this book after having my mind blown at the Met's exhibit. The book just seems to present the clothing in a dull, mechanical, archival type of way, as if the shots were simply taken for inventory. The book lacks the flair, excitement, and beauty of the instillation itself; the clothing is still magnificent, don't get me wrong, but the Met really had the opportunity to do something amazing with this catalog by incorporating even a tiny amount of that brilliant staging; I I had very high hopes for this book after having my mind blown at the Met's exhibit. The book just seems to present the clothing in a dull, mechanical, archival type of way, as if the shots were simply taken for inventory. The book lacks the flair, excitement, and beauty of the instillation itself; the clothing is still magnificent, don't get me wrong, but the Met really had the opportunity to do something amazing with this catalog by incorporating even a tiny amount of that brilliant staging; I would have gladly taken a few spreads showing the instillation followed by the photographs of the clothing. I'm happy that I have this to look back on, but if I had looked through the book before buying it, I probably would have passed. ...moreSep 09, 2015
“Fashion should be a form of escapism, and not a form of imprisonment.â€Apr 09, 2014
[ This post was originally uploaded to http://www.theageofintimacy.com/alexa... as part of a blogging/social media internship. ]Feb 12, 2013
Disclaimer: I'm not a total Alexander McQueen fan. In my opinion, some of his clothes are beautiful clothes, some are art, some of his clothes are beautiful clothes and art, some look like costumes, and some are just plain silly, the latter particularly when he gets too literal about some things, like the three taxidermy hawks that perpetually "pull" at the top of one of the VOSS dresses and look ridiculous. I actually saw the Costume Institute at the Met exhibition this book is a companion to Disclaimer: I'm not a total Alexander McQueen fan. In my opinion, some of his clothes are beautiful clothes, some are art, some of his clothes are beautiful clothes and art, some look like costumes, and some are just plain silly, the latter particularly when he gets too literal about some things, like the three taxidermy hawks that perpetually "pull" at the top of one of the VOSS dresses and look ridiculous. I actually saw the Costume Institute at the Met exhibition this book is a companion to and didn't come out with a higher opinion of his work. I waited for four hours in line to get in and swept through the exhibit in about 15 minutes from the crush of people being sent through it. The tiny room for the Cabinet of Curiosities section made me worry a 9-year-old in there might get crushed. The exhibit gave me no time to really look or contemplate the ensembles. My verdict: Somewhat cool but also disappointing. I actually got a much better look at the McQueen outfits in the Bergdorf Goodman windows display series advertising the exhibition. (The ensembles in the Bergdorf windows didn't appear in the exhibit or this book, so they provided an appreciated addition.)Sep 23, 2018
This is a stunning book of astonishingly strange beauty andFeb 25, 2018
just lovely! wonderful to see his works and to learn how they came to be.Jan 12, 2018
Absolutely love this book, will be keeping it forever.May 25, 2019
I loved the museum exhibit so I wanted to read this. There are some beautiful photos of his work, but not much to read about McQueens life. I wish there were multiple volumes showing more of his work and revealing more of his personal life.Jun 04, 2018
Gorgeous book, the photographs are so beautiful. The quotes and features are so insightful and really bring home a whole picture of what McQueen was like. I'm so glad I got this, it's a fantastic coffee table book and something that will doubtless fascinate any guest with the holographic cover.Aug 02, 2018
To quote from the introduction of the book itself, "The latest in a long line of male homosexual designers who exploit women while pandering to their own fantasies."Nov 21, 2019
Nothing I have to say will do justice to this book and Lee's career as an artist. I can state though that even though I find it impossible that there might be some people that don't know about McQueen, this is a good starting point to get to know him and his work.Mar 06, 2018
This is not the kind of book I would usually read or buy. I appreciate art, but I have a fairly non-existent interest in fashion. However, a quick flick through this book interested me enough to look it up on Amazon and order a copy. McQueen has left behind some stunning work and this collection illustrates the designer's imagination and creativity wonderfully. So many times I was looking at a piece and I'd gasp at the sheer gorgeousness of a design. I won't deny it, I stroked a few pages and This is not the kind of book I would usually read or buy. I appreciate art, but I have a fairly non-existent interest in fashion. However, a quick flick through this book interested me enough to look it up on Amazon and order a copy. McQueen has left behind some stunning work and this collection illustrates the designer's imagination and creativity wonderfully. So many times I was looking at a piece and I'd gasp at the sheer gorgeousness of a design. I won't deny it, I stroked a few pages and ogled a whole lot more. It was over the cut of a piece, the choices of colour, the attention to detail or just the bloody brilliant inventiveness. Utterly beautiful. ...moreAug 03, 2018
My collections have always been autobiographical, […]. This book is incredibly stunning. Amazed by how intuitively precise McQueen was with his work, I find the stills in this book even more breath-taking. It was a similar awing experience to glimpse one of his designs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue, several days ago. I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress. His designs were all about the curves and angles of the fabric on a woman’s body, My collections have always been autobiographical, […]. This book is incredibly stunning. Amazed by how intuitively precise McQueen was with his work, I find the stills in this book even more breath-taking. It was a similar awing experience to glimpse one of his designs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue, several days ago. I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress. His designs were all about the curves and angles of the fabric on a woman’s body, front frills and flaps, and everything he did was multi-dimensional: vividly 3D with deep stories and intense feelings lurking. In Highland Rape (1995), the story was about England’s rape of Scotland, which was controversial and somewhat disturbing to look at. His works were satirical, purely terrifying and beautiful. They gave me chills and radiated intimidating aura throughout different collections. Also, I suspect more loudness in his collections when he approached the end of his life. We’re not talking about models’ personal feelings here, we’re talking about mine. It’s all about the way I’m feeling about my life. McQueen was a man of absolute certainty in both fashion and way of life. To him, there were no grey areas, so his sense of beauty and ideology were exactly that. ...moreTake your time and choose the perfect book.
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