"All American Rejects"

The film American Beauty and its relation to Plato and the philosophical pursuit of true Beauty in modern society...

American Beauty illustrates the dangers of conventionality, while also expressing a collective human tendency towards it, illustrating this through those who yearn to fit in to the collective societal definition of what is beautiful, as well as those who have risen above such narcissistic and materialistic tendencies. Rather than making a distinction between these seemingly taboo desires for beauty, American Beauty focuses on the violent repercussions of their denial. Lester’s character illustrates the danger of beauty being perceived as a corporeal phenomenon and only through the eye of the beholder, whereas Ricky’s character highlights the virtues of beauty being an intrinsic property and perceiving it in an intellectual manner. The purpose and main message of the movie is not to document the downfalls of contemporary American society, but so show that even in a world of utter ugliness and familial strife, there is beauty to be found everywhere.

The theme of American Beauty centers on the redemption of one man's soul. Beauty in this case has transformed an individual's consciousness first on a physical level, and eventually within the spiritual level as well. Lester’s discovery of the beautiful and subsequent realization of true beauty first occurs with his initial encounter with Angela, and culminates in his realization that his daughter’s happiness can fill him with the most joy a father can experience. Lester’s first encounter with, and subsequent pursuit of, Angela is much like Plato’s quandary of the two reactions one faces in an encounter with True Beauty, illustrated in his example of the charioteer and the two horses: “Now he who is not newly initiated or who has become corrupted, does not easily rise out of this world to the sight of true beauty in the other; he looks only at her earthly namesake, and instead of being awed at the sight of her, he is given over to pleasure, and like a brutish beat he rushes on to enjoy and beget.” According to Plato, our initial, base and more primal desire is to possess and conquer beauty in whatever way possible, but he advocates the more restrained and respectful approach that is seen in the other of the two horses. Nevertheless, Lester’s encounter with Angela, the clearest and most easily-perceived example of conventional beauty presented in the film, sparks his body’s spiritual awakening and his soul’s eventual remembrance of True Beauty beyond this earth. Though it ultimately leads to his death, Lester is first redeemed through the awakening knowledge of his own repression and middle class angst.

Colonel Frank is a very stern and overpowering father who utilizes anger and even violence to discipline Ricky for the smallest of missteps. Frank’s wife always appears incoherent, distant, detached, or even mentally disturbed throughout the film: her life has been apparently devoid of happiness for so long, no doubt due to her husband’s regiments and denial, that she has quite literally ceased to function in a world in which she is no longer able to find the beauty. Ricky and his father both possess secrets, which are both actually on display for all to see, though in a hidden manner through display cases and video boxes. The notion of power and family structure in this film is shown in many ways concerning beauty: Frank Fitts has power over his son, Ricky, only because he is able to beat him and control his surroundings to an extent. But Ricky has a larger, more influential kind of power over society in general because of his ability to twist his father’s restrictive and principled methods into an approach to appreciating beauty, rather than controlling or harnessing it. When viewed in this way, it is clear to the audience that Ricky is in the ranks not only of the greatest philosophers, but also among those divine objects of beauty with which he is so enthralled.

Initially, Ricky comes across as a creep who video-tapes either people without their consent, or disturbing images that other people find to be far from beautiful. Through his relationship and self-disclosure with Jane, we come to find that he is actually quite a normal person who possesses a different, if not enviable, way of viewing the world. He analyzes that which he perceives to be beautiful very deeply and puts a lot of thought into everything that he does. Ricky’s initial portrayal of a voyeur that is outside of the societal norm becomes a glimpse into the discipline and virtue of a modern-day philosopher. The aim of a philosopher is to see things for beyond what the physically are, all the while operating under ridiculous constraints in a kind of mad and unrealistic manner. Ricky Fitts, essentially practices his philosophy through a video camera in this film, and subsequently becomes very influential to others in film, especially in regards to their own pursuits of beauty. Ricky explains his experience of the beautiful as though God is looking at him for a moment through the object he is video-taping. Ricky’s experience with the beautiful is profound because he regards his enchantment with the physical world only as a means to the divine one. In speaking about his videos to Jane, Ricky says, “Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it... and my heart is going to cave in.” While Ricky’s description of the 15 minute “dance” he had with a plastic bag on a precariously snowy day is one of the most articulate and profound descriptions of beauty in the film, it is his relationship with Jane that best illustrates Plato’s notion of how to approach and appreciate that which we find to be truly beautiful on this earth: “And now they are at the spot and behold the flashing beauty of the beloved; which when the charioteer sees, his memory is carried to the true beauty, whom he beholds in company with Modesty like an image placed upon a holy pedestal. He sees her, but he is afraid and falls backward in adoration.” Interacting with Jane solely through a camera lens, as well as a window and mirror at times, not only illustrates Ricky’s respect for and appreciation of the Beautiful, but shows Jane how special he actually perceives her to be, which leads to a heightening and strengthening of their relationship.

In the Phaedrus, Plato speaks of ideals, and to understand the soul in its ideal form, we must contemplate beauty to learn more about the soul. Plato saw the physical world as a poor, decaying copy of a rational, perfect, eternal and changeless original. But while he dictated this, he acknowledged that one can only catch glimpses of beauty itself through images of fading perfection found here on earth. Ricky is the best example of this Platonic notion, as he strives to see the beauty in things that allude, confuse, or disturb others around him. He makes no apologies to the collective who find him strange and manages to elude the rigid constraints of his father’s household in order to pursue his endeavor. Plato asserted that the best human life is one that strives for understanding and copying the forms as closely as possible, which Ricky does from a removed and respectable distance with his video recorder. Plato also makes many warnings against confusing one’s ability to see with one’s ability to perceive the beautiful: “For sight is the most piercing of our bodily senses; though not by that is wisdom seen; her loveliness would have been transporting if there had been a visible image of her, and the other ideas, if they had visible counterparts, would be equally lovely.” While the sense of sight is privileged because it is the only way with which we may gain access to the individual, it is actually in the ideal of knowing true beauty that the soul encountered from another time which defines a perception of true beauty for Plato.

Plotinus would suggest that Ricky’s principled and ritualized life, as well as the ways in which he documents and experiences beauty, put him on a level with the most noble of scholars: “Therefore the Soul must be trained—to the habit of remarking, first, all noble pursuits, then the works of beauty produced not by the labor of the arts but by the virtue of men known for their goodness; lastly, you must search the souls of those that have shaped these beautiful forms.” Hillman, author of the Practice of Beauty would also approve of Ricky’s discipline in his practice and pursuits of beauty, yet he would also advocate a risking of excess and uncontrollable emotion that Lester seems to indulge in from time to time. For Hillman, such maddening feelings and desires are beauty, and to him it should be acted upon before thought too much about. It is his manifesto against irony to not repress feelings automatically, but rather to be free and natural and unafraid to experience emotion, and therefore unafraid to experience beauty and all it has to offer.

The collective or societal tendency to treat beauty as an unnecessary indulgence is grounded more in preventative measures than in actual reason. Beauty, even in its Truest form always involves desires, more specifically eliciting said desires from society, which in turn tries to regulate this awakening because the pursuit of an object of beauty usually becomes all-encompassing. This trait of beauty has always led to a fear for the crumbling of society as a whole at the hands of an ignoble pursuit. American Beauty, in a way, takes the long, arduous writings of philosophers on the subject of beauty and applies it to our modern society. Through forcing the audience to examine their lives more closely, challenging the more sacred and unspoken rules of suburbia along the way, this film tears apart societal notions of beauty that require conformity, and instead opens up a chance for the viewer to develop a greater understanding for what is truly beautiful in the world.

In Uncontrollable Beauty, Lester’s initially inappropriate responses to the object which he finds beautiful can be better explained through basic human instinct, and primal desire overtaking rational though,t: “Most people still feel in the presence of beauty that old wish to do something, whether it is to make love to the beautiful person…in any case, nothing satisfies the impulse but merely exhausts it. The perception of beauty wears out after a while, speeded up by activity. Remembered beauty, on the other hand, if protected properly, can be a source of light and heat to ones imagination and ones sense of life, like the sun shining in on ones shoulder.” Such an ignorance of or preoccupation with beauty is commonly associated with the male experience of beauty, but in Lester’s case was most likely triggered by his family’s repression of their feelings towards beauty. However, the moment where Lester almost possesses Angela is presented as a kind of façade, as his erotic new facility by which to gain enlightenment was useful, though ultimately misguided: Nevertheless, he eventually understands his role as a father and protector of beauty, as he tries to not to possess her, but ultimately retain a more philosophical relation to the object.

American Beauty is about discovering that beauty can be found within the differences and stimulating novelty of things, rather than the conformity and repetition of societal ideals. Lester’s mid-life crisis and apparent boredom with life in general is a symptom of a life led without acknowledging or being able to perceive beauty, as illustrated in Survival of the Prettiest: “Beauty is a basic pleasure…the balance of response to physical beauty is one sign of profound depression.” Lester Burnham lives in a façade of the American dream. He is stuck in a career he hates, a family he cannot relate to, and in a rut of boredom that lands him in a full-blown mid-life crisis. His passionless marriage to Carolyn highlights the repercussions of her materialistic perfectionism, which may have secured their family a normal outward appearance, but has left the individuals within said collective both unfulfilled and unhappy with life in general, showing that a superficial notion of beauty does not have the same benefits as an inherent understanding of true beauty. American society has a tendency to be deeply rooted in a notion that we are defined by what we possess. This is a superficial notion of our society that entrenches a middle-aged Lester Burnham in the film, American Beauty. While he is able to recognize the trouble and fakeness surrounding his family, he chooses to avoid it because he would rather not disturb the perfect image that they present to society. And while his wife works tirelessly to maintain this façade in hopes of convincing the world that they are a perfect and normal family, this fails miserably as her family only suffers worse for her efforts, and she herself is hopelessly frustrated and unhappy. The fact that Lester is surrounded by artificiality is the ironic precursor to his impulsive and life-changing decisions. Eventually, after multiple displays of cynicism, irreverence and sarcasm, Lester Burnham presents his first genuine smile upon hearing that his daughter is in love. He pronounces simply "I'm happy for her," and in that moment, he is able to find the good in a world that he's spent so much time ignoring or rejecting. Even within a society that espouses so many values he hates, in a world that has destroyed so many of the people around him, his greatest realization is that he is able to surprise himself, ignore others when necessary, and find the Beauty in the simplest of things.

"The Paramour Session"

Just a little class project-turned photographic field trip, the Paramour Mansion is amazing, truly the multifaceted gemstone cast in the Silverlake mold, if you feel up for a drive call Steve and set up a tour, very worth it...

The Paramour Mansion is tucked away in the highest hills of Silver Lake, providing the most spectacular view of Los Angeles. The buildings of downtown look like little lego figurines in the distance, and from further out, the ocean looks like a smooth blue blanket. The view makes the city look like a tranquil, calm place, but in reality the hustle and bustle is still there—just too far off to notice. That idea is the exact feeling we immediately got when we pulled up to the estate. Though we sat in traffic getting there, and undoubtedly passed thousands of people with busy lives on our way, once we drove through the gate everything felt removed and peaceful. We were no longer in the hectic city of Los Angeles, but were standing in the presence of one of the most historic and pivotal buildings of the cities’ past. Steve, the man who lives and operates business at the mansion, immediately greeted us at the gate. He was accompanied by one of the many dogs on sight, Willow, who, though clearly aged, had the welcoming demeanor of an eager puppy. Our unclear expectations were put to ease as we drove in and were pleased to find welcoming faces and beautiful grounds. We first walked around the perimeter to see the amazing views and the exterior of the house…
The Paramour Mansion, also known as the Canfield-Moreno Estate or the Crestmount, is a spectacular residence nestled atop one of the highest peaks in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. The 22,000 square-foot estate has rich historical significance for the city, thus it has earned a Historic Cultural Monument Certification. Noted California architect, Robert D. Farquhar designed and constructed the manor in 1923, when he was commissioned by Charles Canfield, a business partner of Edward Doheny, to create it as a wedding gift for his daughter, Daisy (Silverlining, 2001). Thus, it became the lavish home of Antonio Moreno, a silent film star, and his wife Daisy Canfield-Danziger, an heiress and socialite. Much speculation surrounded their relationship’s validity, as Moreno was suspected of making a calculated move in marriage in order to thwart rumors of homosexuality. However, Steve assured us that, as with many things in Los Angeles, the tale was most likely more rumor than fact. Nevertheless, the house was the site of many lavish parties and business arrangements, as the couple’s union brought screen stars, Hollywood elite and oil investors alike into each other’s esteemed company. The two were, for all intensive purposes, a perfect match, who helped to provide Los Angeles high society and the film industry with a literal and figurative meeting place. Their parties were home to many deals bringing finances and film together, which contributes to the historic magnificence of the mansion. The couple resided there until 1928, a year before deeding the property to the Chloe P. Canfield Memorial Home, a school that housed “precocious” or otherwise especially gifted young girls (Silverlining, 2001). In 1933, shortly after separating from her husband, Daisy was returning home to Crestmount when her car took a deadly plunge off of Mulholland Drive. In 1953, the manor reformed yet again into a convent and school, upon its’ acquiring by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
The mansion has clearly seen a lot of changes and has successfully adapted to all of them, which contributes to its realness and prominence. One aspect that has remained constant is that a woman has always been the owner of the mansion, which is very clear from its feminine energy. In 1998, the property was purchased by its current owner, Dana Hollister, who is responsible not only for the mansions most chameleon-like transitions into reality tv stages, movie sets and recording studios, but also for the incredible impact that this concept of transformation has had on the Silver Lake area as a whole. Dana is related to one of the largest land-owning families in California, and is a renaissance woman of sorts, as she has been a prominent philanthropist, interior designer, civic patron and photographer for years. She has contributed greatly to the Moreno Mansion and the Silver Lake community. “Dana doesn’t see this as building businesses, she says we’re making cities. Its not in some imperial way—she loves the funk and grunge. She figures out what she needs an then acquires it” (Gardetta, 2001). Initially she had plans to turn the estate into a 45-room hotel, but grew uneasy with that future as she began to realize the city’s more desperate need for reform that could eliminate gang violence and financial dispair, so she set out to rebuild the community (Gardetta, 2001). She has the ability to see beauty in what may not look beautiful upon a first glance, and has bought much of the property in Silver Lake in hopes to beautify the area while staying true to its original architecture. “When she first took up residence with her sleeping bag, dog and sawed-off shotgun, it was in need of some good loving--a mess of broken windows, a leaky ballroom ceiling and musty, long-closed rooms. ‘But,’ she says, ‘I knew even then she had beautiful bones’” (George, 2007). It indeed does have beautiful bones and she has beautifully accentuated them. Each room is a different but vibrant color with very unique furniture. No two rooms look the same and yet the interior is brilliantly interconnected, and the same goes for Silver Lake. It is a neighborhood that is widely unique and yet the differences coexist perfectly: This idea is something that Hollister has hoped for.
Our first impression of the outside of the mansion was that it looked old, still beautiful but old and clearly full of history. We really appreciated Steve and his input on the mansion because he gave us insight that we would have never been able to receive, and through his conversation, the beauty of the mansion and all its capabilities was truly brought to light. Steve told us that if he had to give the house a one-word description it would be “authentic,” and after a brief tour we would say the same. The word mansion invokes ideas of modernity, prestige, and conceit: Though we were coming upon a historic building the thought that it would have embodied more of stereotypical, new-looking mansion still prevailed initially. Steve pointed out in our tour that many of the historic sites in Los Angeles have had repairs that keep it looking new, no matter how much change occurs to the original. For example, in the kitchen area there was the original call box that the butler used years ago: It looked like an antique and indeed it was. One thing that stood out about the Paramour Mansion was its unexpected legitimacy: though it embodies much grandeur, and though it has worn a hundred different faces over almost a century, there seems to be no façade or effort behind it, it just is.
For modern Los Angeles this idea seems foreign because everyone is trying so hard to appear a certain way and forgets about being real, losing authenticity in the process. Steve told us a story about a photo shoot on site at the mansion for Jennifer Lopez: Her label company chose the Moreno mansion because they wanted to make her seem more real and fresh to her audience. They wanted to erase her image of being overly glamorized, glitzy and fake because people cannot relate to that, especially in these economic times. Steve told us that after taking a brief tour of the mansion, she stormed downstairs and hated it, probably because it wasn’t the lavish scene what she thought of when she heard mansion. After three hours of hair and makeup she came out in a shimmering gown and took her photos behind a white backdrop—she had the opportunity to be shot in the most beautiful, genuine scenery in order to showcase her true beauty and yet she chose to be in front of a blank sheet with pounds of make-up on.
The Paramour Mansion is much more than an old house; it is used for reality shows, episodic TV shows, commercials, movies, parties, recording studios and hideaways for musicians to write their music. Throughout the tour of the grounds Steve would identify a certain musicians room including Fiona Apple’s room, or Sarah McLaughlin’s room. It seems like the perfect hide away to write music and be secluded from the business side of things in order to truly focus on the creative process. The house has become most famous for its musical ties, as bands such as Papa Roach and My Chemical Romance have recorded and drawn inspiration from their stays there while creating albums, and as acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Elton John and Sting have all played benefit concerts on the ground (Silverlining, 2001). Today it is used on a weekly basis and these are considered slow times for the mansion. The music industry is most associated with the mansion in popular culture, but due to the economy and the bad climate that ensues for the industry, the bookings for the mansion have become less frequent. However, the mansion still holds it place in Los Angeles due to its rich history and deeply rooted ties within the entertainment community.
Though the mansion has maintained its place in current times, through the years it has stayed true to it’s roots in many ways. It does not try to be something that it is not, which is a very unique quality to find anywhere in Los Angeles; a city where people fear the aging process, exhaust themselves trying to maintain a certain status, and go bankrupt trying to keep up with the latest trends. This classic site has truly found the balance between being true to itself and keeping up with the current culture. Los Angeles is one of the few American cities where the term “melting pot” can be accurately applied: This idea paints the city as a place where new possibilities exist and where many separate lifestyles can coexist, and is a feature that can be applied to the mansion itself, as it has housed various kinds of people and adjusted to their respective needs. It is a cultural mecca unto itself in many respects, as its architectural influences, diverse decorations, contrasting surroundings and various guests have each left their own impact on the mansion, all combining to give it its unique ambiance. One thing that must help the mansion stay humble is visits from the past. Many people have called the Moreno mansion home; from its days as a girl’s school to a convent, numerous ladies have returned to see their old stomping grounds. “Canfield girls” who possibly lived at the school from age 3-18 come by often to show family members and friends where they used to live, while the girls who lived in the convent come by sharing a different experience when they walk through the halls. The girl’s school was seen as a positive thing for many of the students due to the Great Depression. The school gave these girls opportunities that they would have never been able to have, but for the sisters of the convent it is a different story: Many girls were sent to the convent as a place for correction or escape so the memories they have when returning are not as lighthearted. Many come back for healing or as a reminder of where they have come from. All these things contribute to the realness of the mansion. It is so diverse and multifaceted, but manages to maintain a strong identity within the busy, ever-changing city of Los Angeles.

"Alexander the Great"

This is something I just came across from my sophomore year "Fashion, Media and Culture," class with Dr. Daniel Durbin. His teachings that semester truly opened my eyes to the possibility that work does not always have to be such a tedious and joyless affair--this class inspired me to ultimately change my major. Granted, these were lessons devoted entirely to studying a fairly familiar topic for anyone female and breathing, but it was here that I learned the necessity of passion in doing one's best work. Truthfully, I caught myself, on more than one occasion, smiling during our final exam.....As the saying goes, "You'll love what you do if you do what you love," but at least for most college students who are unsure of their plans for the next 5, 10, 20 or 30 years, this phrase entails a rather elusive concept. I suppose that is why, when we come across those rare individuals who possess not only the talent, but the self-assurance, and ambition necessary for pursuing what they love, we are often left dumbfounded in awe and reverence.

This is the feeling that has always struck me when admiring the works of Alexander McQueen. I was only 15 when I first tried on a dress of his at his store on London's Bond Street. As every teenager 2 years into pouring over every Elle and Vogue they could find, I already knew everything there was to know about fashion, and yes mummy of course I've heard of him, he's the crazy British one who likes to freak people out at his shows! Naivete aside, I always have and will regret not buying that dress: not only was it an exquisite royal blue over-laid, sweet-heart bodiced, tulle-skirted masterpiece of a cocktail number that would have made any girl look like Grace Kelly, but the 21 year-old me can now appreciate that it would represent an invaluable piece of his unique and magnificent genius. His was a talent of innovation, of un-affected candor, and of extraordinarily genuine mastery. The tragic and unexpected loss of such a wonderful gift to the fashion industry and artistic communities alike was profoundly felt by many. My heart broke when I read of the agony those closest to him suspected he endured in his final days: perhaps some small solace or lesson does exist in the fact that, no matter how much more time we believe he was due, no matter how many more shows and creations we will dearly miss, Alexander McQueen was a revolutionary who wasted no time in the fog of other people' s expectations. He was a true maverick in his field, his works inspired countless people in innumerable ways, and his provocative genius always made us yearn for more, perhaps now more than ever....RIP.

In less than 10 years, Alexander McQueen has become one of the most respected fashion designers in the world. He rocked the fashion scene early on, with his shocking, over the top, and often-controversial collections, and has maintained his excellent reputation through selective marketing, empire expansion and an unwavering resolve to challenge the rules of fashion. McQueen has a brilliant resume, working both under and alongside names like Givenchy and Gucci, as well as a vast variety of experience, that has enabled him to rise to the top of his game, all the while daunting his competition with innovation, talent, and a unique ability to predict upcoming trends, thus transcending the line between designer and innovator by actually creating pieces that the public never knew they needed or wanted.

The fashion designer is the artist that creates the designs we wear, in both a form of individual artistic expression, as well as an expression of what the designer believes will sell. Exquisite detail, tailoring expertise and hard-edged street style are synonymous with McQueen’s designs (Boyd, 1). This attention to detail communicates quality to the consumer, something assuring considering the expensive price tag that comes with McQueen’s line. “Alexander’s collections combine an in-depth working knowledge of: bespoke British tailoring, the fine workmanship of the French Haute Couture atelier and the impeccable finish of Italian manufacturing” (Alexander, 1). However, his impeccable designs are sometimes criticized for being “un-wearable” and eccentric. His pieces appear, to some, to be a self-indulgent manipulation of his art and talent and thoughts. But regardless, the resultant product is something that people will undoubtedly buy anyway, so his notoriety and reputation has earned him some freedom to indulge his anarchistic side. Regardless of his own particular motivation for a certain product, the product is always sought after and well received, in spite of and because of his genius. His talent plainly develops excellence, therefore his personal beliefs are not the reason his lines are successful, they are successful because he has an obvious skill for creating clothes that people like and look for.

Before discussing what his show means as a form of communication, it must first be acknowledged for what it means as personal inspiration for McQueen. His Spring 2008 collection was created in honor of the late Isabella Blow, a woman who both discovered McQueen and propelled his career by sporting his most outlandish of fashions (Mower, 1). Beyond the tribute, his collection is a kind of scrapbook, filled with odes to his historical past triumphs on the runway, maintaining only the theme of birds in flight throughout the piece. “The molded-hip silhouette of a jacket and dusty, twisted georgette gowns came from his Barry Lyndon show; the floating bird-of-paradise prints, from his “shipwreck” season; the ombre-printed vast-shouldered kimonos, from his Japanese couture collection for Givenchy; the trapezoid shapes, transposed from the tricorne hats of his “highwayman” moment; the lace stockings, reprised from his They Shoot Horses performance…” (Mower, 1). His show was staged in sections, the first being the more legitimately “ready-to-wear” pieces of the collection. “The presentation set up the idea of a shipwreck, and the clothes -- frock coats, waistcoats, skull-and-crossbones jackets, knickerbockers, distressed dresses, harem pants -- were inspired by pirate garb…This first section was full of wearable clothes that were easily describable, and it was obviously oriented to make the buyers happy. They were.” (Sischy, 2). As is to be expected with any line of McQueen’s, he dazzled the critics and buyers with a triumphant display of showmanship and creative excellence by the end of the show. “And then came the explosion -- primary colors in bold feather prints that had the exuberance and vibrancy of wildlife in the jungle. This portion of the show had the distinct feeling of a celebration, of a coming out of the darkness into the light. For those deliriously beautiful moments, Alexander McQueen gave himself and the audience a really happy ending, just like the fairy tale” (Sischy, 3).

Alexander McQueen is known for the emotional power of his messages and the raw energy of his shows, as well as the romantic, yet determinedly contemporary nature of his collections (Alexander, 1). A defining feature of the McQueen culture is the balance he creates between contrasting elements, such as fragility and strength, tradition and moderninity, and fluidity and severity (Alexander, 1). McQueen is truly one of fashion’s most innovative and takes obvious joy at pushing things to the edge, pushing people’s buttons along the way being an added bonus (Boyd, 1). “McQueen is well known for his controversial shows…intended, as he has always insisted, to draw attention” (Wilson, 2). His radical tendencies, deemed by some critics as no more than shock tactics, challenge the traditionally accepted concepts of fashion and beauty (Mari, 1). His fashion-savvy followers and clients, however, see his vision as radical, innovative and revolutionary genius. “Sometimes when McQueen deals with loaded issues, like religious wars, class struggles or poverty and starvation, as he has in the past, he gets people hot and bothered. They object on all sides -- from those who think these subjects have no place in a fashion context, to those who believe that by introducing them on the runway they become glib and inappropriately glamorized. However, expecting McQueen to rid his work of worldly content would be like expecting Andy Warhol to go monochromatic.” (Sischy, 1). McQueen has been judged for his self-indulgent themes that often comment on things most critics would prefer to leave in the figurative closet. He puts onto the runway what inspires him at the moment, and whether or not the critics respond positively or negatively is of little importance to a man of such conviction. Regardless of what the critics will continue to say, McQueen loves to send shivers up the spine of his audience before, during and after his shows. (Sischy, 2)''’I believe in depicting what's going on. I'm a big anarchist. I don't believe in religion, or in another human being wanting to govern over someone else. The themes that go through my shows will continue to, because there's more to life. It's why I do what I do. I do believe fashion is a voice. There are times when I'm less aggressive, but sometimes you have to shove it in someone's face’” (Sischy, 2).

Fashion designers target celebrities so that they may add value to their product by wearing it at public events. Everyone even remotely edgy or provocative, and those who wish to portray such an image for an evening, wears Alexander McQueen. The celebrities that often wear his designs tend to be more cutting-edge or anti-establishment, yet there are also some who are simply fashion-forward, and know that to be seen wearing McQueen will lend value to their own celebrity as well. Ayumi Hamazaki is one of the many starts that have lent an international element to Alexander’s appeal. The extremely influential Japanese superstar often sports McQueen’s designs on and off the red carpet, providing a celebrity appeal that has made his fashion both well known and highly sought after in Japan’s culture. Born in London, he obviously has a loyal following from his fellow Brits, ranging from royalty (Prince Charles) to rock stars (Elton John), fashionistas (Sienna Miller) to footballers (David Beckham). This variety of celebrity not only lends different validation to McQueen’s line, but also exposes him to different clientele than would normally notice fashion, like sports fans or musicians. Other followers of McQueen include Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman, Timbaland, Lucy Liu, Mary Kate Olsen, Christina Aguilera, and Gwyneth Paltrow, who actually had an unfortunate review for wearing a sheer gothic number of McQueen’s to the Oscars in 2002. When asked about the incident, McQueen later said in W magazine…”I don’t count stars…if people want to wear it and they are passionate about it, then that’s good for me” (Nellis, 1). McQueen is no stranger to occasionally unflattering press, but he most often gets it for what he sends down the runway in an intentionally controversial statement he realizes not everyone will appreciate. One hopes that they will not suffer bad reviews for a fashionista with so much confidence in her prowess that she refuses to hire a stylist (Nellis, 1). But there are plenty of amazing designers in the industry, and a great many that try to provoke audiences in similar ways, so this cannot be the only reason that people choose to wear his clothes. McQueen is different than the mainstream elite fashion designers. There are always aspects of each of his collections that are controversial, and that draws a lot of people to him and his creations, but the underlying effect of why people buy his clothes is because that is what they want to wear, his is the statement people want to make.

McQueen practices selective marketing to the upper class, high-end retailers and high fashion magazines in order to convey and maintain his image as an elite label. His marketing style is never audacious and you won’t find his advertisements lining the pages of Vogue, Elle or any other top fashion magazine. There are countless pages of his peers like Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci and Marc Jacobs doing just that, but McQueen prefers to be found in the core of the magazine: having his pieces speak for themselves across pages of editorial spread sheets, his name hidden beneath the fine print at the bottom of the page. He lets his work, rather than his name, be the selling point of his fashion pieces. McQueen, formerly known simply as the provocative hell-raiser of London fashion, has reached a level of stature in which his clientele is made largely of ladies-who-lunch and other individuals with considerable means. He is not the kind of designer, or man for that matter, to pander to others’ preconceived notions of what will sell, and frankly, he has reached a point at which he doesn’t need to care. He is well aware of who his audience is and know exactly how to keep them coming back for more. McQueen has quite a reputation among those in the fashion industry. While he has not gone without critical reprimand for his blatant, occasionally offensive messages, as well as his refusal to apologize for expressing his opinions, he is undoubtedly regarded among the most innovative and talented elite of his profession. Though the road to such success is often bumpy and character changing for some, McQueen understands who has helped to make that possible, and concurrently is known for always trying to accommodate as many writers, photographers, buyers, customers, etc. as possible at his shows. (Mari, 1). In return, the designer has international coverage of all his shows, thus increasing the mediums through which his line may be shown, discussed and ultimately purchased. He is unique and that’s what makes him commercial to his clients. There is an audience for what he does, regardless of what the critics and peers say, as he regards his ultimate judge as being the consumer.

One particular critique often assigned to McQueen is that his clothes are made for the runway, not actual people and everyday life. This is understandable, considering that his ready-to-wear lines are sometimes indistinguishable in grandeur from other designers’ haute couture collections. This has not deterred his customers, however. His hard work to cultivate his notoriety in a business which values showmanship, an element which may serve to elevate one above the competition, has attracted a devout following that not only believes in his genius, but quite literally buys into the images and messages that he puts forth on the runway (Newsmakers, 1). “The neon sign of one’s inner thought is the clothes that one puts on one’s body. Fashion in many ways defines the self-concept and character of the individual, and it gives a message to the audience. One has to gear one’s message to how seriously one wants to be taken” (Nash, 2). The choices that one makes in fashion say so much about a person before they have a chance to say a word. Perhaps by dressing in Alexander McQueen, a man whose notoriety and fame precede him as well, his most devoted clients are hoping to, in a way, share in and reflect a part of his genius and creativity. One is what one chooses to symbolize (Nash, 2). “The way you dress is one of the biggest statements you make in life. Like it or not, you define your character with it, and your opinions on life -- politically, sexually, financially, religiously with: what colors you pick, what shape you like” (Nash, 3). As well as what designer you wear…

As far as trying to make his designs a part of the “hot” scene, McQueen is well aware that this already exists and is pre-determined by others in the industry, so he doesn’t design with that end goal in mind—nor does he design to be purposefully controversial—he designs for himself, his issues, his audience, his message, and his own identity, which happens to be more provocative and unusual that the mainstream. He does however recognize the bottom line of this business, which is that if his line doesn’t sell, he wont be able to create anymore. There’s an acknowledgement in that fashion is a business, and thusly, has to create revenue. The minute his collection doesn’t sell, he is no longer viable, and we won’t see his collections within a few seasons. Fashion is a balancing act. For all of McQueen’s rebellious, rule-breaking, provocative, innovative, political and radical statements, he is well aware that his is a commercial and profit-based business, and that playing by the rules in some ways is a necessary evil to his overall cause. Hence the reason that, while his ads may appear selectively, he is not entirely above marketing in magazines, and has been seen on a number of billboards across London. He has a dedicated following of people that wait for his line to come onto the runway, so the very lack of 52 Alexander McQueen ads in Vogue is an ad campaign in itself, because it builds excitement and anticipation. He propels a deliberate campaign of mystery in this, allowing the consumer to create their own longing for his new collection, rather than trying to elicit it from them.

Ever since Alexander McQueen first stepped out onto the fashion scene, his raison d’etre has been to provoke new and different perceptions, images and revenue, all the while gaining recognition and legitimacy as a fashion designer. His determination and raw talent has undoubtedly earned all that and more. He clearly knows what his audience wants and he gives it to them…on his own terms of course.