STAR TO BRIGHTEN THE ROW

The eagerly awaited launch of Alexander McQueen’s first menswear shop arrived this October, with its opening at Number 9 Savile Row.

Not since the days of Tommy Nutter has such an inventive and unconventional design name been seen here, and the brand’s arrival promises to update the Row’s image and bring a new wave of international style shoppers to the area.

“This new menswear store is like a homecoming for Alexander McQueen, “ said Sarah Burton of McQueen, “since Lee himself was an apprentice on Savile Row, and tailoring has always been the backbone of the label.”

The late designer began his training as an apprentice at Anderson & Sheppard. A stint at Gieves & Hawkes followed, then time at Angels & Berman, where theatrical work helped hone his extravagant designs while giving further experience in cutting techniques taken from earlier centuries.

Work in Milan and an MA course at St Martins gave him the all-round technical ability that backed his fabulous women’s designs, and saw the launch of his own company in the early 90s. And in 2005, by then a world famous name, he returned to his menswear roots with his first full menswear collection.

His was a huge talent and an irreplaceable loss to the fashion world on his death in 2010, just 40 years of age. Yet his brand lives on under the very able expertise of Sarah Burton, his long term assistant. She designed the wedding dress for the Duchess of Cambridge in the year after McQueen’s death, and has gone on to firmly establish herself and secure the brand’s continuing success.

This flagship store in Savile Row will offer the latest men’s ready-to-wear line and accessories. As reported in the previous edition of Savile Row Style, there is a collaboration with Huntsman on bespoke for the present collection, but that ends next year, when an in-house bespoke service will be established. 

Designs from the latest McQueen collection are shown here. Top, frock coat and loose vest with lean trousers .Above, flowered jacket beneath vest. Right, checked velvet jacket and left, a wine d.b.