McQueen

For many Alexander McQueen fans, including myself, McQueen's work was more than stunning fashion: it was a powerful statement about rising above abuse, the burdens of beauty, defying gender norms, death, humanity, and empowerment. The filmmakers did a spectacular job of capturing these themes in McQueen's work through interviews and photo/video montages. Every moment of the film is thought provoking. The visuals are haunting. We must treasure this rare look into the private world of fashion's most elusive, misunderstood genius.

The film succeeds most of all by presenting a heartrending timeline of McQueen not only as an infamous designer, but as a person ravaged by the industry. Alexander's life was triumphant and tragic in equal measures; he quite literally lost himself to his genius, pouring so much emotion into the McQueen brand that it became an extension of himself. Ultimately, as the film tells us, fusing his identity with the brand resulted in brilliant, theatrical shows...and the loss of his sanity.

I wish that certain runway shows [namely, the Horn of Plenty] were examined a bit more, but McQueen was such a powerhouse that the film would have spanned 3+ hours if they had discussed all his work in depth. I also wish that we could have heard from Sarah Burton, who now directs the house of McQueen. Despite its small missed opportunities, this film will stick with you long after you've left the theatre.