After a brief hiatus, the Education lectures resumed on February 16, 2023 at the Virginia Robinson Gardens with a terrific lecture on the making of the Lee Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2022. Thanks to Education Chair Adrienne Horwitch, it was a glamorous and exquisite event from the beautiful tables to the lavish lunch and the exciting lecture in the historic Pool Pavilion. Several attendees came dressed in McQueen’s fashions, adding to the festiveness of the occasion.
Adrienne introduced the speakers, Curator of Costumes and Textiles Clarissa M. Esguerra and Assistant Curator Michaela Hansen who were co-curators of the show.
Clarissa explained that this show would never have happened without the generous donation of McQueen’s fashions by Friends of Robinson Gardens Patron Member, Regina Drucker. Thanks to Regina’s magnificent gift, Clarissa said, “We realized that we had the largest collection of McQueens in a public institution in North America.”
Because McQueen’s fashion was so much about inspiration, Clarissa and Michaela had the brilliant idea to pair his work with other artworks in LACMA’s encyclopedic collection. They collaborated with almost every single curatorial department to put together this exhibition.
Michaela said that McQueen was born in London in 1969 in a working-class family. “Against all odds, he came to be one of the most important and influential fashion designers in the entire world.” McQueen became a tailor at age 16 at Saville Row, which is a historic site of men’s tailoring. He is unique among fashion designers who typically don’t have this intensive training in tailoring. He thought like an artist and made incredible innovations in textile and surface treatments. When McQueen attended Central Saint Martins for his master’s degree in fashion, the fashion stylist Isabella Blow famously bought his graduate thesis collection, which put him on the world stage. Tragically, he died at the age of 40. Despite his short career span, Michaela said, “He had an incredible impact, changed the face of fashion, and continues to inspire people today.”
The curators showed images of the exhibition, which was displayed thematically. “Angels and Demons” was his last collection. A golden Jacquard weave jacket, featuring images of angels’ faces and wings was paired with actual Renaissance marble sculptures of angels.
Besides being inspired by the Italian Renaissance, McQueen drew inspiration from many sources, such as Greco-Roman gods and goddesses, Islamic art, Scottish history, the British Empire, the reign of Queen Victoria, Tibet, Goya, flamenco, and bullfighting, among many other themes which were explored in the images of the clothes paired with stunning artworks. Adding to the gorgeous designs, the designer Michael Schmidt made very creative and ingenious headpieces to complement the ensembles.
Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummers Night Dream, was particularly meaningful to McQueen. A quote from the play, “Love looks not with the eye, but with the mind,” was tattooed on his arm and also written on his headstone. Regina views her collection as pieces of art and not to wear. The only dress that she wore was this white gown at the 2011 McQueen exhibit at the Met Gala:
The collection is currently at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. The show has doubled in size due to a donor who had many McQueens as well. This summer, the exhibition will travel to the Musee National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec in Quebec City, Canada. Clarissa said that the museum doesn’t have a fashion collection but will exhibit non-fashion artwork in conversation with the clothes, “which to us is incredibly wonderful and such an honor. It is exciting because they are showing fashion in art museums as art.”
After this very engaging and illuminating lecture, the guests sat at elegant tables covered with gold-flecked purple tablecloths and beautiful floral centerpieces, artfully arranged by Adrienne. As a delightful touch, she dressed miniature wire mannequins with lace, flowers, and satin ribbons, enhancing the couture theme.
A delectable menu catered by Gino Vigil featured a mixed farmers market greens salad, ruby red grapefruit citronette, pepita dust; a wild purple rice salad with spinach, roasted carrot, tomato, shallot vinaigrette; oven-roasted Scottish salmon with dill and lemon; roasted spaghetti squash in a 6-hour San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil; roasted asparagus; and tiramisu, chocolate chip cookies and berries. Mimosas, coffee, and mini pastries were also served as guests arrived at the Gardens.
Attendee Diana Doyle said, “Today was entertaining, informative, intellectual, and inspiring.” Donna Jett added, “It was so fun and such a great day with such nice people.”
We are so grateful to our fantastic Chair Adrienne for this fabulous beginning to our season of Education lectures. Don’t miss these wonderful and unique events organized by our very talented Adrienne!
Post and photos by Linda Meadows
Friends of Robinson Gardens Board Member
Editor of the VRG eNewsletter, the Happenings
Krista Everage
Thank you Adrienne for this gorgeous event! I am in awe of McQueen’s artistry and of Regina Drucker, collector extraordinaire. So fitting this presentation was at our beautiful Robinson Gardens.
Cynthia Fields
Bravo Adrienne!!
Kerstin Royce
Fabulous event!