According to the BBC, Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, which closed yesterday, has been the V&A's most popular paid exhibition of all time. Since opening in March, the show has seen more than 493,000 visitors through its doors, including supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell and Dazed cover star Lorde. This weekend, the V&A remained open throughout the night to accommodate demand.
Savage Beauty has sprung an offshoot of related exhibitions in London, including Nick Waplington/Alexander McQueen: Working Process at Tate Britain and Warpaint: Alexander McQueen and Make-Up at the Fashion Space Gallery. This last exhibition, which closes on Friday, explores the designer's innovative approach to catwalk beauty (which included bald caps, red contact lenses, huge glossy sex-doll lips and prosthetic cheekbones).
Perhaps Savage Beauty, and the McQueen mania that ensued, will increase the designer’s chances of appearing on the new £20 note. He, along with fellow British creatives photographer Corinne Day and artist Pauline Boty, is among nominees to be the new face of the banknote. McQueen has certainly got our vote.
