Maverick fashion designer Alexander McQueen has set another incredible record 5 years after his death...
Maverick fashion designer Alexander McQueen has set another incredible record 5 years after his death - Savage Beauty, the retrospective of his work, is officially the V&A's best-selling exhibition ever.
That's right, with a total of 480,000 visitors, the now-closed showcase was more popular than the museum's David Bowie, Hollywood Costume and Wedding Dress exhibitions - for the last two weeks of its run, the museum even opened at night to accommodate demand.
When the blockbuster first opened with a star-packed party in March, celebrities from Victoria Beckham to Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell put on their sheerest, darkest, most dramatic lace dresses in tribute to the late designer.
Featuring over 240 of the inimitable designer’s most famous creations, the retrospective’s highlights included an accessories ‘Cabinet Of Curiosities’ and some of his most intricate confections from collections including Plato's Atlantis, Sarabande and The Widows Of Culloden.
The gala dinner brought together designers, supermodels, artists and, um, footballers (VB attended with husband David, of course) with lots of attendees wearing vintage McQueen. FKA Twigs won our award for boldest effort of the night, working a Birds Of Paradise gown from the designer’s spring 2008 show with her signature pin curls and piercings.
See all of the designer’s greatest catwalk shows, here.
Kate Moss, who actually starred in the exhibition in holographic form, wore sheer black lace dress from the label’s new pre-fall collection, showing equal support for creative director Sarah Burton, who took to the helm after McQueen died in 2010.
These are the five key rooms that everyone was talking about...
Below Image: The Savage Mind Room At Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty One of the first rooms you entered at the exhibition was Savage Mind, an exploration of the designer's signature silhouettes and his incredible spring 2001 show, Asylum.
Below Image: The Romantic Gothic Room At Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty The Romantic Gothic room explored McQueen's obsession with Victoriana and gothic lace, right up until his final, unfinished Autumn 2011 collection.
Below Image: The Romantic Naturalism Room At Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Romantic Naturalism explored McQueen's relationship with nature, including the stunning real flower dresses he created in his spring 2007 'Sarabande' show.
Below Image: The Cabinet Of Curiosities At Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty A double height room called the Cabinet Of Curiosities formed the centre point of the new exhibition. Filled with accessories, props and TV screens running original catwalk footage, this is the heart of McQueen's world.
Below Image: The Plato's Atlantis Room At Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty Plato's Atlantis, McQueen's last full collection, formed the exhibition's spectacular finale. From the engineered digital prints to those Armadillo shoes, this one really is a must-see.
