An introduction to Alexander McQueen

A short history

The Alexander McQueen brand was founded in 1992 by Lee Alexander McQueen. Mr McQueen was the Creative Director of the brand until his death in February 2010. During this period he was named British Designer of the year 1996, 1997, 2001, and 2003, International Designer of the Year by The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in 2003, A Most Excellent Commander of The British Empire (CBE) by her Majesty the Queen in 2003, GQ Menswear Designer of the Year in 2007.

The V&A is currently hosting an exhibition of Lee McQueen’s work entitled “Savage Beauty” based on an exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011.

Sarah Burton who joined the company in 1996 and worked alongside Lee McQueen for more than 14 years was subsequently appointed Creative Director of the brand in May 2010. With the appointment of Sarah Burton as Lee McQueen’s successor in May 2010, the brand carries on the tradition of his visionary and avant-garde designs. Sarah Burton was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in April 2012 and was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the British fashion industry on 16 June 2012.

The house of Alexander McQueen currently designs, manufactures and distributes two brands, Alexander McQueen and McQ, a sister brand with a more contemporary focus – both brands include women’s and men’s ready-to-wear clothing, bags, shoes and accessories.

The Alexander McQueen brand is sold in over 50 countries around the world through directly operated stores and franchises, including flagship stores in New York, London, Milan, Los Angeles and Beijing as well as through leading department and specialty stores.

McQ was founded by Lee McQueen in 2005. After a five-year licence agreement the McQ brand was brought back under house control under Creative Director Sarah Burton. The brand’s first global flagship opened on London’s Dover Street in September 2011 and there are now 15 stand alone stores globally in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tainjin, Shenzen, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Dubai.

In 2000 a 51% stake in the Alexander McQueen label was acquired by the Gucci Group (now renamed Kering) and it remains part of the Kering Group today. Renowned for its unbridled creativity, over the past decade Alexander McQueen has been transformed from a celebrated fashion house into a significant global luxury brand.

McQueen’s association with Islington

In 2008 Alexander McQueen moved from its then location in nearby Amwell Street where it had been since 2003 to a new location at 76-78 Clerkenwell Road EC1 a 15,532 sq ft office building. Following the bringing in house of the McQ brand an additional 5,418 sq ft of space at 132-140 Goswell Rd EC1 was taken. Today the McQueen and McQ brands employ 183 staff in London (and some 500 worldwide) and have again outgrown their existing space.

However, there is a strong desire on the part of the house to remain in the area where the brand has its roots.

The search for a new Global HQ

Given the desire to remain in Islington and having considered a number of alternative properties, Swain House at 8-15 Aylesbury Street EC1 was identified as a building that was capable of fulfilling all of the Group’s occupancy needs. Extending to 30,000 sq ft the building will provide the house of Alexander McQueen with:  An improved working environment – The existing space is cramped and does not provide the modern, light and airy accommodation available in Swain House  Efficient and increased shared facilities  Improved internal communication - As staff would no longer occupy two buildings the main departments will be under one roof for the first time in 5 years  A strengthened brand perception with both Alexander McQueen and McQ under the same roof sharing a reception and office space.  Space to facilitate company growth - The additional 10,000 sq ft could potentially allow for a 20% increase in staff numbers with the potential to expand at a future date into the adjoining office building should the need arise.

It is intended that the upper floors of the building will be used for B1 office and ancillary uses in the following manner:

First and Second Floors These are our main corporate floors with mixed open/cellular office spaces hosting the primary business functions with the offices of the CEO, CFO and Creative Director together with the Merchandising, Brand and Commercial teams. Visitors are often invited to this floor to attend more informal meetings.

Third, Fourth & Fifth Floors These floors will be occupied as the main design studios. A creative hub and home to the men’s and women’s wear studios ranging from designers, pattern cutters, dressmakers, tailors and stylists. These floors will be used for product design and development.

Sixth Floor This floor will be dedicated to the creative director’s atelier, an open plan studio space with informal creative desk spaces.

First Impressions

Given the nature of the upper floors it is very important for the ground floor reception to reflect the House’s spirit and creativity and generate the level of vibrancy expected of the Global HQ of a leading Fashion House.

In this context, the main entrance to the building generates the first impressions of the brand for visitors. The design and layout of the space needs to intrinsically reflect the aesthetic of Alexander McQueen with a strong visual reference to our flagship store architecture and furniture.

Accordingly, it is proposed that the ground floor will provide ‘hybrid space’ serving several business and client functions; in particular, this area is seen as providing a natural home for our Press Department. The intention is to create a ‘fluid’ zone comprising a mix of meeting/greeting spaces, a front of house desk, informal lounge areas, studio library with a communal research bench and open plan work spaces. A large format projection of the latest runway show is proposed for the flank wall of the press briefing room with an ‘art platform’ set back from the glazed frontage which will provide a dynamic space for collectable art and curated items associated with Alexander McQueen. The intention is to maintain transparency into the ground floor allowing views into the building which will lively and animated environment reflecting the spirit of an international creative fashion house.

To illustrate the above the Council has been provide with an illustrative layout for the ground floor which indicates how the space could be laid out and a mood board which provides an indication of the look and feel for the space.

In essence Alexander McQueen is more than capable of delivering the Council’s objectives for an active frontage at ground floor level and will provide a very different experience to the bland office reception areas associated with many traditional office buildings.