San Francisco Celebrates the Launch of Electric Fashion at the Alexander McQueen Boutique

A McQueen look from Suppes' personal collection.
A McQueen look from Suppes’ personal collection.

On Thursday, June 11th, one hundred guests came together at the Alexander McQueen boutique in San Francisco to celebrate the launch of Christine Suppes’ book Electric Fashion. On display during the event was a selection of stunning McQueen pieces from Suppes’ personal collection.

20151111_ElectricFashionAMQ_0203School of Fashion Executive Director Simon Ungless introduced Suppes and regaled the audience with tales from his time working with the late Alexander McQueen. Ungless spoke about the inspiration for one of McQueen’s most iconic collections, Dante: “The idea for Dante came from Gustave Doré’s book Inferno, but we wanted to use photographs of the Vietnam War by Don McCullin.” Ungless used McCullin’s photos as the basis for the prints he created for the collection. Unfortunately, the collection didn’t last, “When Don McCullin got wind of the collection we were ordered to destroy every piece that used his photographs,” Ungless explained.

Simon Ungless and Christine Suppes pose with a look from the 1996 McQueen "Dante" collection.
Simon Ungless and Christine Suppes pose with a look from the 1996 McQueen “Dante” collection.

Ungless then turned the mic over to Suppes, who explained what drew her to the McQueen garments in her collection. “I don’t know that I can put it in words, but when I saw the piece on display tonight from the Dante collection, I started to cry. It touched me.” Of another dress on display, she simply said, “Who could resist it?” Suppes also told a few anecdotes from the making of Electric Fashion, including one about being chased by a distraught hotel manager who did not approve of Suppes’ and photographer Frederic Aranda’s impromptu hallway photo shoot. Ungless chimed in, praising the book for documenting “some of the most important clothes of the last 30 years.”

"Who could resist?" said Suppes of her attraction to this dress.
“Who could resist?” said Suppes of her attraction to this dress.

After their short speeches, Ungless and Suppes took a few questions from the audience. One guest asked Ungless how his former student (and current Alexander McQueen creative director) Sarah Burton stood out, to which Ungless replied, “Sarah understood she needed to apply herself and hone her skills- she can cut and sew. Designers need to understand who they are, where they really fit and maintain their integrity, and Sarah did that. Not only that but her business sense is great, I mean look at where we are. This [the McQueen boutique] is Sarah’s hard work. This company is really in the right hands.”

A look from Suppes' personal collection.
A look from Suppes’ personal collection.

Another guest asked Suppes about her support of the School of Fashion. Suppes said, “The School of Fashion is on par with the very best in the world. Going to the fashion show that Simon puts on is a special thing, and I feel lucky to be included.”

Suppes signs a copy of her book, Electric Fashion, for a guest.
Suppes signs a copy of her book, Electric Fashion, for a guest.

After the Q&A, guests sipped champagne, chatted with Suppes and Ungless, and took in the beauty of the McQueen garments on display.

Guests chat and take in the stunning fashion on display during the reception.
Guests chat and take in the stunning fashion on display during the reception.

Photos by Jeffry Raposas