Alexander McQueen’s meteoric rise from humble East London beginnings to dressing some of the world’s biggest stars is celebrated in a new film which opens in selected US cinemas on Friday 20 July.

Filmmaker Ian Bonhote’s McQueen combines archive footage with new interviews from friends and peers to present an intimate portrait of the late designer.

McQueen became a fashion icon in the 90s when his designs helped to define ‘Cool Britannia’ and he created outfits for the likes of Madonna, David Bowie and Bjork.

The documentary also explores the events of 2010 when McQueen’s suicide at 40 left the fashion world in shock, robbing it of one of its greatest talents.

The designer’s legacy lives on in his thriving luxury fashion house which made global headlines in 2011 when creative director Sarah Burton designed the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress.

Last December more than 30 original designs from the house of Alexander McQueen featured in the Couture Fashion Jewellery: The Personal Archive of Shaun Leane auction in New York. Click on the video below to watch innovative jewellery designer Shaun Leane talk about his close working relationship with Alexander McQueen.

Main image: Mike Goldwater/Alamy Stock Photo