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R.I.P. Alexander McQueen

As you may already know, the fabulous designer, Lee Alexander McQueen was found dead in his London home yesterday. He was only 40 years old. The cause of death was suicide. The method of suicide - hanging.

I, like others have to say I am stunned and saddened. No, I did not personally know him, but I did know his work and can honestly say that the fashion world lost a creative genius.

WWD has done a great job on coverage and keeping us posted on this tragedy. Here are some thoughts from other designers on McQueen's death:

Milliner Philip Treacy (who created fantastical hats for the designer’s shows): “In a world where every man and his dog is a designer, Alexander McQueen was the real deal...His talent was supersonic.”

John Galliano: “McQueen was daring, original, exciting...He shook up the establishment with his creativity and understood what it takes to be a great British ambassador for fashion. I admired him very much."

Karl Lagerfeld: It’s a loss for the fashion industry...His story was one of success and talent, but that may not be enough to keep you alive.”

Jean Paul Gaultier: “I am really saddened by Lee’s passing on a human level, but also on the artistic one...A great talent has left us and we will miss him and everything that he has done for fashion.”

Stella McCartney: “Lee was a fashion genius. I don’t say that lightly, and it is a total shock that I am referring to him in the past tense...”

Frida Giannini (Gucci creative director): "I have always admired Lee...He had a way of approaching fashion — both as a tailor and as an inventor — that was all his own. He was an enormous talent whose creative genius will forever remain in the history of fashion.”

What his emotional issues were remain unknown, but many believe he was reeling from the death of his mother. McQueen's mother had passed away 9 days before his death, and her funeral was scheduled for today. According to a source, McQueen had recently tweeted: “sunday evening been a ----ing awful week but my friends have been great but now i have to some how pull myself together and finish with the…”

Alexander McQueen RTW Spring 2010

Alexander McQueen Spring 2010

McQueen for Givenchy Couture Fall 2000

For more photos and an extremely in-depth and well written bio on McQueen, visit WWD.com.

To look back on his past works, click here.

Filed under Alexander McQueen, R.I.P.

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R.I.P.: Naomi Sims

Naomi Sims, whose appearance as the first black model on the cover of Ladies’ Home Journal in November 1968 was a consummate moment of the Black is Beautiful movement, and who went on to design successful collections of wigs and cosmetics for black women under her name, died Saturday in Newark. She was 61, her family said, and lived in Newark.

She died of cancer, said her son, Bob Findlay.

Ms. Sims is sometimes referred to as the first black supermodel.

“Naomi was the first,” the designer Halston told The New York Times in 1974. “She was the great ambassador for all black people. She broke down all the social barriers.”

Source: NY Times

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R.I.P. Michael Jackson

Like most of the world, I am devastated at the passing of Michael Jackson. He was a cultural icon, playing a memorable part in most, if not all, of our personal lives. I mean, who can actually deny making attempts at doing the Moonwalk (I didn't say "successful" attempts), watching Thriller (and the making of Thriller, that was the best), PERFORMING the choreography in Thriller, anxiously awaiting the premieres of his mini-movie videos, and wanting and/or wearing a Michael Jackson-inspired Thriller-style jacket (I still have one). And let's be honest, anyone who EVER took a dance class in the 80s or 90s performed at least two times to a Michael Jackson song, and my saying "two" is being extremely conservative!

Despite the mass and frequent criticism of his many eccentricities, none of them can overshadow his talent and influence on the world...the WORLD. Some of my strongest memories of Michael Jackson were going through a period as a kid in which I had to watch Thriller everyday (and I mean EVERYday), going to my very first concert - the Bad tour, and torturing/tramautizing myself by making several attempts to watch The Wiz just to watch him. What?! I was a hardcore Wizard of Oz fan and The Wiz was downright scary!

I wasn't around yet when JFK was assassinated, but like many who were, I can honestly say that I will always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard that the King of Pop was gone.

Here are a few pics of MJ - wearing denim of course! R.I.P. Michael, your legacy and HIStory will live on forever.