Source: Associated Press

The sudden death in February of iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen leaves a gaping hole in London’s fashion world.

McQueen was Britain’s shooting star, a man who helped make London cool again in the 1990s. And his personal history helped inspire others.

The son of a London cabbie, the youngest of six siblings, McQueen was a product of the streets, not a posh dilettante with a wealthy family to back his fashion whims.

Now he is gone, due to an apparent suicide that has not been confirmed by his family or the police. And fashion insiders don’t see any heir apparent to the enfant terrible who turned catwalk shows into memorable works of performance art.

“I don’t see anyone on his level,” said Kate Brindley, spokeswoman for the Liberty store, where sales of McQueen’s signature scarves have increased 14 fold in the last day. “His vision was completely unique, that’s why he was so successful commercially and so well respected in the industry.”

She said McQueen forged a path for other emerging designers, urging them by example to remain true to their visions. His impact was magnified, she said, by the fact that he kept his businesses based in London even though he showed his work primarily in Paris.

“He’s still very much a British designer, in terms of his rebellious feeling,” she said. “He created this tremendous international fashion brand, but he never lost sight of what made him who he was.”

The McQueen store in central London remained closed Friday, with lilies and roses in the window in memory of the designer. Some devoted mourners also placed flowers and candles outside the shop on London’s upscale Bond Street.

The fashion house’s offices worldwide are now asking all journalists who were given sample garments in the past to ship them back to the company’s headquarters because of concerns that they would be sold for high prices on Web sites such as eBay, which has already seen a spike in the number of listings of Alexander McQueen items, from 63 on Monday to a little over 900 on Friday.

The company said hundreds of the items — including clothing, shoes and other accessories from current and past collections — have been recalled to keep the McQueen legacy secure.

Fashion’s Loss Felt Around the World
There is not shortage of online commentary on the death of McQueen and, while his official Website remains quite (there isn’t even an online memorial website link to refer to), his death has the fashions sites across the globe bogging about his unexpected departure, including recent news that the designer had been distraught over the loss of three females, including his mother.

Meanwhile, plans continued for London Fashion Week, set to begin next Friday, but the mood is expected to be somber as many offer tributes to McQueen, whose early London shows helped put the event week on the international fashion calendar.

“His death will cast a real pall over London Fashion Week,” said Hadley Freeman, fashion columnist for the Guardian newspaper. “He was a real inspiration to young fashion students. There is not a single student in the last 10 years who didn’t cite him.”

She said McQueen’s working-class background and his liberal use of street and punk influences had a democratizing effect on British fashion.

“He hadn’t shown in London for a while now, but he was so intrinsically associated with British fashion, he was the reason Britain got kickstarted, got cool, in the ’90s,” she said.

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My Take: I checked out McQueen’s official website at www,.alexandermcqueen.com/ and there is little information about the death of the designer except a link to a public letter from his family asking for privacy. I can’t imagine the fashion world letting too much time go by before they are able to compile a proper online tribute to McQueen, complete with a history of his most famous designs and the catwalk antics he was also known for.

Did you know that you can create a lasting tribute to someone you love? They don’t have to pass away for that. You can create a fabulous and touching memorial website for a relatively low fee where you can share stories and photographs or videos, offer information updates and even spiritual gifts. These aren’t just for adults. Take some photos of your daughter’s fist Eastr this year while you’ve got her all dressed up in that fancy outfit complete with spring hairbows.

By the way, did you know that the hair bow and big fluffy flowers are making their way into the spring fashion line up this year? It’s true. Hair accessories are going frilly this season and many retailers are selling beautiful flower hair designs that have both clips for hair or pins for clothing if you decide to put it on your spring jacket instead.

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Other Resources

Cheaper, Healthier Cigarettes

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The Green Maid

Did you know that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors? That is why a Maryland house cleaning service should care about your health and the environment. Such a professional home cleaning service would only use nonhazardous, non-toxic and environmentally friendly products that are safe for not only your children, pets, atmosphere, but you as well. Eliminating the health and environmental risks associated with cleaning and ensuring a safe, risk-free environment for your family should be the goal of maid services MD. This type of service can improve poor quality indoor air and alleviating headaches and dry eyes.