ALEXANDER MCQUEEN : IN ONE OF HIS MOST SPECTACULAR SHOWS TO DATE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN WAS INSPIRED BY QUEEN VICTORIA, THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND A 600 YEAR OLD ELM TREE IN HIS BACKYARD.

[PETER PHILLIPS, MAKEUP ARTIST]: "THE SHOW IS SPLIT UP IN TWO PARTS. START WITH DARK HAIRED GIRLS, GIRLS COMING OUT OF THE TREE, THAT'S A STORY, SECOND INSPIRED ON VICTORIAN, VICTORIAN PERIOD. SECOND PART IS BLONDE GIRLS WITH MORE DONE, DONE HAIR AND EVERYTHING AND IT'S INSPIRED ON ELIZABETH THE SECOND." [PAUL HANLON, HAIRSTYLIST]: "SO I'VE GOT THESE TWO STYLES. ONE VERY, VERY TIGHT ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE CROWN, LIKE A VICTORIAN CROWN WITH A PLUME OF FEATHERS, // THE CLOTHES ARE VERY EMBELLISHED. IT'S LIKE WE'RE DOING HAIR FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY ALMOST AND THEN THE OTHER ONE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE DARKERÑI SUPPOSE THAT TIM BURTON FILM, SLEEPY HOLLOW // SO VERY KIND OF SCULPTED SHAPES, ALMOST EARS OF HAIRS AS IF THE WIND HAS PULLED IT AND THE HAIR HAS BEEN CAUGHT IN THE TREES."

[ANNA WINTOUR, VOGUE MAGAZINE]: "I JUST WENT BACKSTAGE TO SEE MCQUEEN AND IT'S VERY ROMANTIC, IT'S MOVED AWAY FROM SOMETIMES A RATHER DOUR ROUTE THAT ALEXANDER CAN TAKE AND IT REALLY LOOKED GREAT. HE'S GOT SOME, SOME GIRL THAT LIVED IN THE TREE OR SOME ROMANTIC FAIRY TALE THAT HE'S CONCOCTED IN HIS HEAD BUT THE GIRLS LOOK RAVISHING, INCREDIBLE JEWELRY, IF EVER THERE WERE A SEASON FOR JEWELRY, THIS IS THE SEASON FOR JEWELRY FROM THE GEM PALACE FROM ALEXANDER, BUT JUST REMARKABLE."

[ANNE SLOWEY, ELLE MAGAZINE]: "I THOUGHT IT WAS SPECTACULAR. SO BEAUTIFUL. IT'S REALLY WHAT HE DOES BEST IS TO TAKE THESE IDEAS, HISTORICÑTHEATRICAL IDEAS AND PRESENT A SHOW THAT'S ALMOSTÑWELL IT IS THEATRE AND HE DOES IT TO SUCH AN EXQUISITE EXTREME, YOU KNOW ALL THE REGAL, AND THE DIFFERENT ERAS AND DIFFERENT, 17TH CENTURY, 18TH CENTURY, SPANISH INFLUENCES, YOU KNOW HE'LL TAKE ONE IDEA AND SHOW YOU 50 DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT. I MEAN THE JEWELS WERE STUNNING, THE COLORS, THE FABRICS OVER THE WHITE TULLE, ALL THE PASSEMENTERUE ON THE BODICES, ON THE GOWNS, IT WAS LIKE THE TUDORS, IT WAS FANTASY LAND, IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL."

[JOE ZEE; ELLE MAGAZINE]: I THINK YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ALEXANDER MCQUEEN IS SORT OF WHERE HE COMES FROM AND YOU SEE REAL DRAMA AND REAL THEATRICS OF FASHION THAT HE'S SO GREAT AT PUTTING ON THE RUNWAY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE REALLY GREAT QUALITY CLOTHES THERE; HE CUTS PANTS SUIT LIKE NO ONE ELSE, THERE'S BEAUTIFUL DRESSES, TAILORED JACKETS AND HE'S REALLY A CRAFTSMAN BEHIND ALL THAT. [ROBIN GIVHAN, THE WASHINGTON POST]: "HE'S AN EXTRAORDINARY TAILOR, IT COMES THROUGH. HIS EXPERIENCE ON SAVILE ROW COMES THROUGH ALWAYS SO HE'S GOT THE CHOPS TO BACK UP ALL THE FLASH." [DENNIS FREEDMAN; W MAGAZINE]: "THESE EXTRAORDINARY PIECES AND WITH HIS CLOTHES AND HIS INTERPRETATION AND HIS WAY OF DECONSTRUCTING IT ALL LOOKS INCREDIBLYCONTEMPORARY AND THAT'S VERY HARD TO DO AND IT'S STILL EXTRAORDINARILY RICH, BUT NOT IN THE VULGAR WAY. IT'S SUCH A HARD THING TO PULL OFF AND HE DOES IT AND THIS TIME I THOUGHT IT TOOK YOUR BREATH AWAY AND THAT'S A BIG COMPLIMENT." [ELIZABETH SALTZMAN, VANITY FAIR MAGAZINE]: "WHAT'S SO EXTRAORDINARY ABOUT LEE IS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ACTUALLY CHANGED; I THINK WHAT HE HAS DONE IS STAYED TRUE TO HIMSELF, NOT GIVEN INTO THE CRITICS AND THE JUDGES; HE'S REMAINED AN ARTIST AND SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY, EXCUSE THE EXPRESSION, DOESN'T GIVE A BLEEP ABOUT WHAT THE TREND IS, WHAT'S HAPPENING, HE REALLY DOES WHAT HE WANTS TO DO WHILE CREATING MAGNIFICIENT EXTREME QUALITY CLOTHING THAT REALLY DESERVES A LOT OF APPLAUSE FOR THE BALLS THAT HE'S HAD TO DO WHAT HE'S DONE." [FREEDMAN]: "I MEAN, THIS IS WHY I COME TO PARIS. TO SEE SHOWS LIKE THAT." [ZEE]: "BEAUTIFUL, GORGEOUS, MAGNIFICIENT, REALLY A TOUR DE FORCE FOR ALEXANDER MCQUEEN." [WINTOUR]: "WHEN HE'S ON FORM, THERE'S NOBODY BETTER."