Fashion label to survive even after McQueen’s death

Francois-Henri Pinault, president of the group that controls the designer's companies through its Gucci subsidiary, paid homage to McQueen by calling him a “genius, a poet and a friend.”

McQueen was famously known for his exceptional designs, which were often cited as his strength and displayed his grit to experiment in the field. Celebrities like Rihanna, Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Lady Gaga were among his popular clients.

“This would be the best tribute that we could offer to him,” Pinault said, about continuing his fashion label.

McQueen’s achievements
McQueen saw initial success during 1990s, and went on to become the chief designer for Givenchy in 1996 before proceeding independently. He is counted among the youngest designers to have been honored with the ‘British Designer of the Year’ award, which he won four times.

The label Alexander McQueen is part of the Gucci Group subsidiary, owned by PPR. The label has 11 boutiques across the world, including major cities like New York, London, and Milan.

Gucci Group acquired 51 percent of McQueen’s company in December 2000, and the rest is owned by the designer’s estate.

McQueen, 40, was found hanging dead at his home last week. A suicide note has reportedly been found in his apartment. The designer was said to be miserable after his mother’s demise on Feb. 2. The police found nothing suspicious around his death.

The show will go on
Robert Polet, head of the Group, said that he and McQueen had decided only a few weeks ago that "we have transitioned from being the name of a designer to putting in place the building blocks of a brand."

"That means that will be my legacy," McQueen had said. "That's something I will always leave behind."

Polet says that the Gucci group will make use of its mutual resources to ensure the label goes on, but he added that the McQueen is “irreplaceable”.

McQueen’s autumn/winter collection is almost ready and the team working with him on the collection would unveil it at Paris fashion week next month, confirmed PPR.

McQueen’s label had it tough in the recent years, reveals an analysis of the recent accounts of his British companies. The condition worsened with the banking crisis that recently hit the world and gobbled many industries. However, in recent weeks, sales of Alexander McQueen items have reportedly picked up.