It was a humid night upon arriving at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to catch a glimpse of the extraordinary pieces being shown at the “Savage Beauty” Alexander McQueen Exhibition. The late designer captivated millions of hearts and curiosity around the world as the exhibition attracted 661,409 visitors in just three months, ranking it alongside other major Met blockbuster successes like Mona Lisa (1963) and Treasures of Tutankhamun (1978.) The lines around the block were filled with fashionistas dressed to the nines in addition to the regular folk.
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I attempted to see the exhibition the first night I arrived in New York City until learning the wait would be over 3 1/2 hours as opposed to an hour an a half. I returned the following day determined to see “Savage Beauty” whether it meant waiting hours longer than I planned to wait. Fortunately, members of the Met had the opportunity to skip the horrendous line outside, so that made the wait go a wee bit faster. If I had the opportunity to see it more than once, I would have done so. There were so many people inside, it was hard to maneuver around. Luckily, the audio-set played a great tour guide.
Saturday night: The line for the exhibition at around 9:30 or 10 p.m. The wait? Over 3 hours
I arrived in NYC Saturday, August 6, and attempted to see the exhibition that night. The lines on both sides were over several hours long even for members of the Met, so we decided to return on the final day, Sunday morning.
The final day of the exhibition: The line wrapped around from this corner shot, but we were able to skip it
The final day of the exhibition: This shot was taken after we left at 12:30 p.m. The wait was over 3 hours. (left side of the Met)
Final day of exhibition: The heat and humidity did not make the wait easy. Wait time was over 3 hours at this point.
Savage Beauty: Behold... As far as my iphone can take you. The entrance into "Savage Beauty"
“You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.” – Alexander McQueen
Below is a video of everything shown at the exhibition. There wasn’t any photography allowed, so this video gives you an inside look at “Savage Beauty” minus the claustrophobic crowd. It was truly an emotional event to taken in. Read more about the exhibition here
One of the most memorable moments at McQueen’s spring/summer 1999 fashion show, two robots spray-painted a dress worn by the model Shalom Harlow.
There wasn’t much room during the exhbition, so many people had no idea what was being shown in the area showing the Kate Moss hologram. McQueen showed this during his 2006 Ready-to-wear collection as a tribute to Moss after being caught by the tabloids for her cocaine scandal.
