Fashion has lost one of its brightest stars today with the death of Alexander McQueen. The 40-year-old British designer was found in his London apartment, after apparently hanging himself, according to Scotland Yard.The son of a taxi driver, McQueen's meteoric rise in fashion began when the late legendary fashion editor, Isabella Blow, purchased the entire collection he showed upon his graduation from Central Saint Martins College in London.Blow became both McQueen's mentor and muse. His sharply tailored clothes, visionary insouciance, and couture-caliber talent quickly made him an international industry darling. It also drew the attention of luxury goods king Bernard Arnault of LVMH, who recruited him as Creative Director for Givenchy in 1996.
After a tumultuous five-year partnership, McQueen left to concentrate on his own eponymous collection which has cemented his place in the pantheon of all-time greatest fashion designers, and earned him the honorific, Commander of the British Empire. He was also named British Designer of the year four times, and was awarded the Council of Fashion Designers of America's International Designer of the Year in 2003. His fashion-forward designs have been worn by Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Campbell, and Michelle Obama.His personal life took a sad turn in 2007 with the suicide of Blow, who had been his best friend from his pudgy outsider days, to his enfant-terrible headline-grabbing controversies, to his current cool establishment persona.On Feb. 2, McQueen suffered another devastating loss when his beloved mother, Joyce, passed away. The following day, his Twitter feed read: 'I'm letting my followers know the my mother passed away yesterday if it she had not me nor would you RIP mumxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx... Moments later, he added: 'But life must go on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
While there have been no official statements regarding the reasons behind his suicide, fashion insiders are speculating the two womens' deaths were at least partly responsible for the designer's well-concealed depression. Vogue editor Anna Wintour did, however, have this to say: "In such a short career, Alexander McQueen's influence was astonishing — from street style, to music culture and the world's museums. His passing marks an insurmountable loss."
Ironically, this tragic news comes on the first day of New York Fashion Week. In the midst of the whirlwind of parties and fashion shows, there will no doubt be many solemn pauses to remember one who contributed so much in too short a life. 
To learn what you can do to help prevent suicide and help your loved ones fight depression, click here.
Photos courtesy of www.chicanduntroubled.files.worldpress.com, Damian Cugley via Flickr, 10 Corso Como via Flickr.
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