long live McQueen.

Lee Alexander McQueen.

THE MAN. THE STUDIO. THE WORK.

I think designers naturally gravitate towards other designers that speak their language and that are well respected in the design community. It is not a verbal language but rather a visual one. It becomes like a drug addiction - the designer then needs the muse, the inspiration all the time. It is an unwritten, unspoken, addiction rooted in this idea that the muse speaks to untapped creative soul. For me that muse is Lee Alexander McQueen.

Lee has had the strongest influence on me as a designer and as a woman. From the moment I discovered Lee he continues to be the driving force behind most of my personal work. He influences everything. I mean everything; from architectural form to the strategic thinking of a conceptual space. He pushed the envelope. He demanded more from himself and his work. And thus his infectious energy carries on every time I look down at my skull ring on my ring finger or at my desktop image - one of his skulls. He worked his ass off and through his hard work he changed the world.

It is surreal to think that today marks the fifth anniversary of his death. This morning when I woke up I consciously dressed to pay homage to Lee and his life; I slipped on my leather leggings, my McQueen inspired belt, my leather riding boots, and my black structured blazer, and placed a little piece of Lee on my finger. Long Live McQueen.

In the past I have focused on his work visually to pay tribute, but this year I wanted to look at the man, his studio, and the incredible work that he created. The fierceness and new perspective he created is unlike any other. The filter of conceptualization is unmatched. There is such a rawness of energy to his work. The fierceness the items of clothing exude, the way the models carry themselves, the shows and storytelling ability, the McQueen world has a such a savage beauty and form it is infectious.

"There comes a time in life when you focus on what you believe is right, regardless of what everybody else is doing."

“As a designer, you've always got to push yourself forward; you've always got to keep up with the trends or make your own trends. That’s what I do.”

"I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.""