It not only featured Paralympian Aimee Mullins wearing prosthetic legs carved from elm wood, but ended with two robots spray-painting a dress worn by supermodel Shalom Harlow. 13” was the collection that cemented McQueen’s reputation as the ultimate showman. For “ Joan” later that year, his exploration of the elements moved from water to fire with a show that ended with a masked model being surrounded by a ring of fire. McQueen conceded, calling it “ Untitled”, but that didn’t stop him sending models down a runway made of water-filled tanks while rain poured from above and spotlights bathed them in a suggestive yellow glow. The designer’s spring/summer 1998 show, partly financed by American Express, was originally titled “ The Golden Shower” before the company demanded the name be changed. McQueen’s shock tactics weren’t always a hit with his sponsors. For “ Dante” in 1996, a skeleton was seated front row, while the 1997 show “ It’s a Jungle Out There” saw a car catching fire, albeit accidentally. It set the tone for the shows that followed: “ Taxi Driver” paid homage to Martin Scorsese’s troubled protagonist Travis Bickle “ Highland Rape” was a commentary on England’s violation of Scotland and “ The Hunger” showcased transparent bustiers filled with worms. His 1992 graduate collection, entitled “ Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims”, included a coat printed with thorns and locks of McQueen’s own hair sewn into the garments. The recipient of four British Designer of the Year awards, as well as a CBE, and now heralded as a genius, it’s easy to forget that McQueen’s creations were divisive from the offset. Over the course of his 18-year career, the designer’s presentations for both his eponymous label and Givenchy, where he served as creative director from 1996 to 2001, were the stuff of legend: 10 minutes of pure theatre that enthralled audiences with their audacity and conceptual brilliance.
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