Fashioning February: McQueen and I

His designs were beautiful, brutal and bold. Dubbed 'enfant terrible' by the snooty fash pack, Alexander McQueen was never too feet away from controversy. However, love him or hate him no-one could deny that Alexander McQueen was indeed a true fashion genius. After all this is the man who brought bumsters into our lives and set his fashion shows in lunatic asylums, displayed car robots and put Kate Moss in a hologram. Alexander McQueen tragically took his life this time last year and it is only fitting that a documentary paying tribute to him and his legacy should be aired in the midst of Fashion Week. You cannot talk about McQueen without mentioning the late Isabella Blow, the eccentric stylist who committed suicide herself  in 2007. McQueen and I is a retrospective look at McQueen and his relationship with Blow who made a massive impact on his life from the day he showed his graduate collection from Central Saint Martins, which Blow immediately snapped up. Since then she became his personal champion by guiding and nurturing his talents as well as  her muse. The two passionate characters had a very tempestuous friendship which often went hot and cold.

The programme features key people in Alexander's life such as his ex-partner, family, close friends, models and journalists. We see his brother and close friend take us to his former stomping grounds in the gritty East End of London. Models such as Jodie Kidd talk about what he was like to work with and former tutors from Central Saint Martins recount his huge talent. The programme also delves into McQueen's career at Givenchy and after a faltering start he helped to shape the brand and give it the kudos it deserved. This led to his image evolving and with him getting out of his scruffy shirts and jeans and starting to wear designer suits. Isabella's husband also shares his thoughts on his late wife with us and gives us an insight into her personality. We also learn more about her childhood and her motivations for the need for glamour. McQueen and I contains some very interesting footage of Alexander and Isabella together and we get an insight into the deterioration of their relationship.

McQueen and I is aired on Friday 25th February at 9pm on More4.