Alexander McQueen, the celebrated British fashion designer whose recent “hoof” shoes innovation surprised a generally jaded industry, is dead after taking his own life by hanging himself. He was 40. In 2002, he told British Vogue, “I came out really young. I was never in [the closet]. I was sure of myself and my sexuality and I’ve got nothing to hide. I went straight from my mother’s womb onto the gay parade.” At the time, he talked about having a child: “I deserve one because I’ve got a lot of love to give.” McQueen’s death follows last week’s passing of his mother.
Dionte
R.I.P. McQueen
hardmannyc
Wow. Just wow. I wonder how much the suicide of his best friend, Isabella Blow, weighed on him.
anonymouse
I’m so incredibly sad.
Chris
So heartbreaking. Such a tragic loss.
Keith Kimmel
We have so much suicide in our community, it really is sad.
Fitz
My sympathy to his family and friends. Suicide is something I just never understand. I guess I am lucky that I have never been that down and out.
Helen Lawson
Interesting that Queerty says it was suicide since the AP doesn’t mention that AT ALL in their accounting:
LONDON â British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead at his London home, his spokeswoman said. He was 40 years old.
Company spokeswoman Samantha Garrett said McQueen’s body was discovered Thursday morning but said she had no information “in terms of circumstances.”
Police did not directly comment when asked about how McQueen died, but said officers were called by the ambulance service at 10:20 a.m. (1020 GMT) to an address on Green Street, in central London, and found a 40-year-old man dead. They did not name him but said next of kin had been informed.
The force said a post-mortem would be conducted but that the death was not being treated as suspicious.
David Ehrenstein
It’s been mentioned as suicide in subsequent accounts.
Quite a fascinating man. He was the youngest of six children. His father was a cab driver. IOW he came from less than nothing. The fashionista Isabella Blow recognized he had talent and promoted him. He took it from there and became a star. She killed herself after discovering she was dying of ovarian cancer. He never got over it. His mother’s death a few days ago was apparently what pushed him over the edge.
Nothing more to say, really. We don’t know what life was like inside his skin. we’re all individuals with probelsm of our own. Especially when suicide brings our life to an end.
hardmannyc
Helen Lawson: Go to the Brit newspapers. They’re all reporting it as a suicide. AP is always (overly) cautious in these matters.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Holy shit. I’ve got a few of his suits in my closet. I’ve loved his designs, if not for the fact that he fit suits for men who don’t look like models. He was an everyman designer. I never knew him personally, but I will miss this man.
Michael
omg…hes one of my favorite designers. I can never go into barneys without walking a way with one of his pieces. im wrecked đ
Geoff M
Makes you wonder what sadness brought this about. Such a talented man. I hate it when we lose people this way.
spindoc
Sad, I always loved that he used male models that didn’t look like anorexic heroine addicts. What a shame he felt that killing himself was an option. Poor man.
AlwaysGay
Tragic. If you’re feeling down get some help. You’re worth it.
The Observer
It doesn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to figure out the death of his mother weighed heavily on him especially since he was found hanged a day before her funeral. When you lose a parent, a mother, you feel numb with grief – it’s inexplicable really and can cause you to be erratic, fatally introverted and dredges up a whole gamut of emotions which live in those hazy fringes of your soul. Suicide is contemplated. It’s hard, my thoughts are with his family. Rest in Peace, Lee. x
schlukitz
So sad, really, whatever his motivations might have been.
R.I.P.
Latebrosus
Truly an amazingly creative individual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HKRRJfyvrY
A now confused John from England
I’ll say this as a Londener. It was foul play-Mcqueen was really kinky…just think about it.
Lukas P.
Suicide = permanent solution to the arduous, soul crushing, but ultimately survivable task of grieving one’s dear departed. I’m sad to see such a talented man leave our company, and to think that he didn ‘t seek (or receive) help at his lowest moments.
@A now confused John from England: Are you thinking autoerotic asphyxiation a la INXS dude Michael H and possibly Carradine? Based on the timing, I doubt it. Kinky or not LAMc was likely so overcome with grief at the loss of his Mum that his libido would have been the last thing on his mind. I could, of course be wrong.
A very sad day. Not much else to say.
JR
What a sad day. A huge loss for the fashion world. đ
jason
Are they sure it wasn’t accidental death? Michael Hutchence, former lead singer of rock band INXS, was found hanged in the 1990’s, apparently from an attempt at auto-erotic asphyxiation.
In any case, it’s sad and tragic. I don’t really like the fashion industry and its appearance fascism. It’s designed to make money and nothing else. Nevertheless, a horrible way to go.
benlayvey
Another PATHETIC gay statistic!!!!!!!
Truly, events such these make me fear for our prospect as a community to be sound societal contributors. Suicide is NEVER the answer folks! It’s for quitters and weaklings, a way for Mother Nature to weed out such oddities within herself. Frankly, it IRRITATES me when people-especially gay-make it their only way out. The larger community will NEVER take us seriously if we take our own lives at moment’s notice. Know that they don’t care if you do it-it’s “one less Faggot” to worry about to them.
schlukitz
No. 22 · benlayvey
Another PATHETIC gay statistic!!!!!!!
What is really pathetic, is your utterly crass dismissal of a human life.
You were not there personally to witness what actually happened and as others have suggested, they could have been foul play involved in the death of this man. That you can be so judgmental about an incident of which you know so little, is IRRITATING to the rest of us.
Sorry that the death of a fellow gay is such a “social embarrassment” and major inconvenience to you.
I have no doubt that the larger community will be making exactly the same observation about you one less Faggot to worry about when you make your departure from this earth.
One good turn deserves another, as my grandfather used to say.
anonymous
@benlayvey: I was writing an in-depth answer to you, but then I realized it’s not worth it. Let me put it this way: You’re clueless.