Alexander McQueen became one of the most popular designers the world has known and his collections still fascinate the world today. His bizarre creations can easily intrigue or disgust anyone, but do people who see his work really understand what his works mean? McQueen not only told stories through his collections, but also shared his personal opinions and talked about his ancestors. Although what McQueen is trying to say may not be obvious at first glance at his designs, he does indeed use fashion to communicate with those who love his work. This idea is found in two collections (Highland Rape and The Girl Who Lived In A Tree) and a common theme in all of McQueen's works (strengthening women). The way McQueen designs is such that the clothes are more than just pretty clothes to wear, but so that he can express his true beliefs in a way that words could not describe. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayHighland Rape is a collection in which McQueen not only shares the history of the Scottish people, but is also able to express his feelings towards the harsh subject through his clothing. When the collection was first made, there were girls covered in blood, half-naked and staggering. Their clothes were also torn and, for the most part, barely covered their bodies. At first, people thought this collection was about real rape and viewed McQueen as a homosexual trying to exploit women's bodies. In response, McQueen will tell the true context of his collection, saying: "[This collection] was a cry against English designers... who were making flamboyant Scottish clothes. My father's family came from the Isle of Skye and I had studied the history of the Scottish Risings and the Clearances. People were so unintelligent that they thought it was about the rape of women – when Highland Rape was about England raping Scotland. He then described how he saw Scotland as a harsh, cold and bitter place due to England's involvement. What happened was that England took the Scottish lands by force and then drove the people out, either by murdering them or increasing the price of their properties. Most of the Scots who fought back died, leaving thousands of women widowed. McQueen expressed this as England's rape of Scotland because England imposed itself on Scotland and in doing so made the Scottish people unhappy for years to come. In the first figure, there is a green dress with a cut in the middle of the chest and spikes around the collar. The spikes represented being guarded, since the neck is a sensitive area of ​​the body, and how Scotland had to maintain their guards at all times. Additionally, you can see that the fabric is starting to deteriorate around the edges of the garment. McQueen is trying to show how, over time, England eventually wore down or began to wear down Scotland. In Figure 2, McQueen attempts to show the extent to which Scotland was mentally exposed by England after these mini-wars. Similarly, Figure 1 is very similar to Figure 3, in which McQueen attempts to give a torn and deteriorated look to his work. This was also to mean that Scotland was slowly falling apart due to England's attempt to wear Scotland down. Finally, in figure four, we can see that the chest of the outfit is torn and barely held together, thenin the next photo the chest is completely exposed when the shirt splits. The division of the shirt was also carried out throughout the parade, so that the concept of Scotland barely holding it together could be seen more prominently. These examples and concepts explained previously only confirm that McQueen was striving to use fashion as a way to communicate with his fans. He felt like an injustice had been done to Scotland and he was trying to right it. Help by sharing his story the best way he knew how, which was through fashion. . In addition to sharing his personal life through his creations, McQueen also shares his personal views and ideas on certain topics through them. An example of this is how McQueen sought to empower women through his clothing. “I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress. McQueen first achieved this goal with his line of women's pants, which elongated women's legs in order to make them taller and therefore more threatening. He didn't like women to appear soft and vulnerable, but he always managed to maintain their femininity throughout his designs. This concept can be captured in figure five in which a matador type garment is depicted. McQueen's concept behind this design was to empower a woman by the pant leg and the concept of a woman in a man's role. The pants are high waisted with a straight, fitted cut that gives the illusion that the woman is taller than she really is. Height plays a major role in McQueen's designs in which he believes that height gives power to a person by being able to dominate another. It also plays on the idea of ​​a matador, known as a male-dominated profession where men are celebrated for their courage and virility. By doing this, McQueen is trying to show that women can be as strong as men, while still retaining the feminine aspects of the design by revealing most of the chest. He is trying to express that although women are as strong as men, he also understands that their anatomy is different and that while their strengths should be celebrated, their differences should also be recognized. McQueen also said: "I don't like women who look naive." ”, which McQueen associated through his designs with empowering women, which can also be seen in figure six. “I like padded hips because they don't make the [piece] look historical, but… more sensual.” Like the statue of Diana with breasts and big hips. It’s more maternal, more feminine, but it also keeps the strength of the woman.” In figure six, we can see the heavily padded hips and padded shoulders, which not only create an hourglass figure, one of the most ideal female silhouettes, but also give a more menacing appearance to the wearer. dress. The woman is instantly more powerful because she appears taller while still maintaining this ideal female form, much like the other drawing shown in figure five. It keeps the woman always feminine while elevating her to the strength associated with men. This only shows how he is able to communicate his ideas of what women should be through his designs and how he hopes for women to progress in a stronger way. McQueen was also able to convey stories through his collections by using a series of designs to elaborate on an idea. As shown in figures seven through eleven, one can see the transformation of a set of designs from a chaotic room to what appears to be a regal queen. In the.