According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, the first definition of the word “expedition” (noun), which had its origins in the 15th century, is: “a journey or excursion undertaken for a specific purpose”. Indeed, the 15th century was a period of intense exploration of new lands and ideas. The explorers themselves had to be a special breed of people: smart, curious, brave, savvy, and more than a little crazy. Columbus got the King and Queen of Spain to sponsor his most famous expedition, but that was after he had already raised considerable funds from other private financial investors.
So, to take an expedition, in its full sense, is not only risky, but very expensive and of course, dangerous. The pay off is potentially astronomical: you could discover a new land, treasures, cultures and riches.
On another, more meaningful level, an expedition means letting yourself go to places that normal people don’t dare go. It means thinking outside of your own comfort zones to explore what’s beyond the mundaneness of your everyday life.
Though we were so shocked and saddened to hear about Alexander McQueen’s sudden and unexpected death, I think it’s befitting to remember him as truly one of the most daring and successful explorers of our contemporary fashion community. His latest unearthing of remains from the lost city of Atlantis for his Spring 2010 show gave us some of the most beautifully grotesque creatures that he transformed into wearable art.
I loved that McQueen was gutsy enough to go there—to that place that Plato talked about, but no one’s found. I loved that he dabbled with monsters, insanity, and what many would consider ugly. He went there for us. He translated what’s considered untouchable and unspeakable into tangible, real things.
Truly, we will miss his magical expeditions.
Long live McQueen.
Tags: Alexander McQueen, Atlantis, expedition, fashion, Lady Gaga
Exploration is always multi-directional. We can even essentialize these paths into the dualism of external and internal. McQueen’s work - as fashion’s first martyr of the 21st century “work” must be the operative term - seemed to exemplify this dual journey. Gay male insecurities about their own bodies, and by extension, self, designed on the blank slate of impossibly tall thin women is a cliche. To take this dual exploration to challenge the very basics of species recognition is to alter the discourse from banal debates on beauty and ugliness to the shadow realms of satisfaction and frustration.
McQueen is dead. Long live McQueen.