McQueen was not only famous for his collections but also for his dramatic and stunning makeup.
This month has seen the opening of the Savage Beauty showcase at the V&A and now we can extend our interest in McQueen’s design and concepts through a beauty exhibition….
Fashion Space Gallery, located at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, is delighted to announce Warpaint: Alexander McQueen and Make-Up, the first ever exhibition to explore McQueen’s catwalk make-up. Coinciding with the V&A’s major retrospective Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, this satellite exhibition aims to unravel the process and inspirations behind the collections by examining key beauty looks developed by McQueen’s most trusted make-up artists.
McQueen worked in close collaboration with internationally renowned artists such as Val Garland, Peter Philips, Topolino and Sharon Dowsett. The exhibition will give insight into devices and techniques these artists used to realise McQueen’s unique and highly conceptual vision. On display will be a total of 22 looks from 13 collections which have been grouped into three central themes: Amplified, where facial features are obscured and exaggerated, Deviated, where make-up goes beyond the traditional areas and covers other parts of the body and Stripped, where the subtle look intensifies the meaning of the collection.
The looks on display will range from La Poupée (S/S 1997) collection up until McQueen’s last collection Plato’s Atlantis (S/S 2010) and are showcased on silicone masks, which have been created in collaboration with LCF BA Hair, Make-Up and Prosthetics for Performance students.
We love Val Garland and she described what it was like working with McQueen ‘It all came from him, his point of view. It had to be absolutely specific, he knew when it was just right, when it came as near as possible to his own vision of the look. There was no right or wrong, just his vision.’
McQueen’s shows were renowned for using ground-breaking technology, and in an homage to this, the exhibition will also explore make-up digitally. Make-up looks often evolved throughout the duration of McQueen shows, such as Untitled(S/S 1998) and What A Merry Go Round (A/W 2001). Working with digital creative studio Holition, a 3D installation will reimagine these moments, illustrating the transformation of runway models and highlighting the fundamental role that make-up had in creating McQueen’s narrative. Additionally, visitors are also able to see themselves in select McQueen make-up looks, through Holition’s specially created app, ‘FACE’.
Central to the exhibition space will be a studio environment hosting an extensive programme of masterclasses, talks and demonstrations. The events schedule will be announced shortly.
VENUE: Fashion Space Gallery
ADDRESS: London College of Fashion
20 John Prince’s Street, London, W1G 0BJ
ENTRANCE: FREE
DATES: Thursday 30 April – Friday 7 August 2015
