1969: Lee Alexander McQueen is born, the younger of 6, in London. His father is a cabdriver and the family lives in public housing.
1983: The young Lee joins a bird-watching club: birds, feather and wings will later become a recurrent motif in his designs.
1985: Drops out of school and starts working as an apprentice in Savile Row, at Anderson & Sheppard tailors first and, later, at Gieves & Hawkes.
1989: In Milan, he works with Romeo Gigli, who teaches him everything about self promotion.
1990: McQueen applies for a job at Central Saint Martins, but the director is so impressed by his portfolio he offers him a spot in the school’s master program.
1992: Lee’s graduation collection “Jack the Ripper stalks his victims” catches the attention of Isabella Blow, fashion editor of Tatler Magazine. Blow buys the entire collection for £5000, and becomes a close friend to LMcQ.
1993: First collection, Taxi Driver, is presented at Ritz Hotel: low waisted bumsters make their first appearance.
1994: Birds collection is presented.
1995: Highland Rape collection, presented in March, causes a stir among the fashion press and gains the 26 yo designer his “enfant terrible” reputation. The collection, aimed to honor Mcqueen’s Scottish ancestors, features the signature black and red tartan, along with torn lace blouses and more bumsters.
1996: Wins the first he wins the British Designer of the Year. Sarah Burton begins to intern at the studio. McQueen is tapped by LVMH to design Givenchy.
1997: Wins again the British Designer of the Year, together with John Galliano.
It’s Jungle Out There collection features the famous horned jacket.
1998. in September, during N.13 (SS 1999) catwalk another topic moment: at the end of the show model Shalom Harlow stands on a turntable and is spray-painted by industrial robots. The show features also an outfit with carved prosthetic legs for Aimee Mullinsp paralympics athlete who modeled on the runway.
2000: McQueen sells a 51%stake of his brand to Givenchy’s competitor, Gucci Group. Domenico De Sole (Ceo of Gucci Group) and Tom Ford are his key supporters
2001: Final collection for Givenchy is presented in Spring. From October, he shows in Paris: his collection “ The Dance of the twisted bulls” once again courts controversy. Once again, he wins the British Designer of the Year.
2002. First adv campaign for Fall, shot by Steven Klein.
2003: Kingdom, the designer’s first fragrance is launched. Wins for the fourth time the British Designer of the Year. In October, he’s made Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth.
2004: Eyewear and Menswear are introduced.
In the “It’s Only a Game “ collection, models are dressed up as chess pieces and the show is choreographed as a chess game.
2005: Introduction of the handbags collection.
2006: Widows of Culloden Collection.
McQueen’s garments are display at the Met for the Anglomania exhibition, together with designs by Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano.
McQ diffusion line is launched.
2007: Isabella Blow commits suicide, in October McQueen dedicates to her La Dame Bleu show.
2009: Plato’s Atlantis collection, inspired by under-water world, shows in Autumn.
2010: February: 9 days after his mother’s death Lee McQueen commits suicide, shocking the world.
May: Sarah Burton is named Creative director of the fashion house.
2011: Sarah Burton designs Kate Middleton’s wedding gown. The Metropolitan institute of New York pays homage to Lee McQueen with the record-breaking exhibition “Savage Beauty”.
