An Exclusive Look Inside The Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray Rendez-Vou Fashion Exhibit
Photo Credits: Powered by Mojo
The Prelude
It has taken me awhile to finally get this article out…but behold it’s finally here! If I’m being honest, I struggled with adding this article to the rest of my “Fashion and Style” articles or making it apart of my “Personal Blog” line up (the struggle of being a fashion blogger whose also a perfectionist! Bleh!). Nevertheless, I finally settled on adding it to my collection of “Fashion and Style” articles (and here’s why). I reflected on my life changing experience at this exhibit and came to the conclusion that Lee Alexander McQueen deserved a spot in the fashion and style category because he was (and is) the epitome of fashion and style. Moreover, this exhibit as a whole seemed more deserving of its own spotlight rather than my readers solely experiencing it through my eyes. So now that I’ve finally made the decision on where to place this masterpiece, please join me as I relive this unforgettable moment in time and shed some light on some of Lee’s most iconic pieces, Ann Ray’s exquisite attention to detail throughout this entire exhibit, and my take on the experience as a wardrobe stylist and fashion blogger.
Act I: The Invitation
Can I be honest with you again? This invitation completely caught me by surprise. One minute I was working and then the next minute I look down at my phone and saw that my childhood friend (that I had recently reconnected with) had sent me an invite to go to this exclusive event. Fortunately I had nothing on my schedule during the morning of the event so I was free attend. Shortly after confirming my attendance, I received this charming email and I couldn’t help but smile (not only because I thought the email was charming, but because I appreciate stellar marketing). I didn’t fully know what to expect from this event, but I could already feel that it was going to be special and I was honored to be one of the first people that witnessed it.
Act II: The Experience
This event took place at the Frist Art Museum located in downtown Nashville. I want to go on record and say that this was my first time being at the Frist Art Museum and it was nothing short of amazing. As we walked into the building I took in all of the beautiful scenery (the lush trees, the statue, and the thoughtful building details). I was also pleasantly surprised at how many seating options were outside and how nice and well mannered the staff was. In fact, as we were just a few feet away from the main entrance one of the staff members had already opened the door for us and ushered us in (you don’t see good service like that anymore!). Just when I thought that I couldn’t be any more amazed, I was blown away by all of the beautiful art as I was walking down the hallway to check into the event.
While checking in we had our name tags laid out for us and to my surprise (yes, everything was surprising me!) we were given headphones so that we could experience the exhibit live. As we made our way towards the exhibit there was a beautifully curated table of refreshments for us to enjoy and let me tell you everything was so fresh and delicious!! After we indulged in a few tasty light bites, I prepared myself for the main course (which was all of the beautiful fashion I was going to see…but little did I know I was going to experience more than just fashion!).
Act II: The Exhibit
As soon as I put on my headphones, I was greeted by Ann Ray’s voice and immersed into all things Alexander McQueen. Each part of the exhibit highlighted a different part of Mr. McQueen’s career and we deciphered it piece by piece. As we all viewed the beautiful garments Ann Ray, one of Lee’s closest friends and his photographer, shared the story behind each garment and each photo on the wall as if it were happening for the very first time (this was actually my favorite part of the exhibit). Throughout the exhibit I experienced a roller coaster of emotions — I felt happy, inspired, and sad. I know it may seem odd to feel all of these feelings in one setting (especially at an exhibit), but the reason I felt so many emotions in such a short period of time was because of the stories Ann Ray had shared and how the exhibit was curated. At the beginning of the exhibit I noticed a variety of creative garments with tons of lively colors and designs and then towards the end the of the exhibit (and ultimately Lee’s life) the garments grew dark in color (yet still very beautiful!) as a result of his battle with depression.
I know that I can’t speak for everyone, but I think it’s safe to say when we all reached the end of the exhibit there was a certain heaviness in the room. Sadness for the loss of an icon. Grief that his life ended the way it did (and at such a young age). Sympathy for Ann Ray trying to be strong as she walked us through this painful memory (I silently prayed for her during that part of the exhibit). Yet, even through the darkness, I was still able to find the beauty in his story and I found myself inspired by the legacy he left (it encouraged me to pursue my own dreams more intently).
Act III: The Final Act
After collecting my thoughts and letting the sadness pass over from the final part of the exhibit, I did one final walk through and let myself be present. Even though I felt sad that Alexander McQueen was no longer on this earth, I felt grateful to have heard his story through the lens of one of his closest friends. I also felt honored to have crossed paths with Ann Ray (she is so talented and is the true definition of a friend).
Fun fact: Ann Ray flew all the way from France just to host this exhibit for Alexander McQueen. She also helped put this exhibit together to honor his legacy.
At some point I met back up with my childhood friend and we shared our thoughts about the exhibit and walked through it once more. As we were admiring and discussing the garments, two people were listening to us talk about the designs and they asked what we liked about them. Me being the fashionista that I am, I started rambling about the details that stuck out to me the most. They looked intrigued and then they revealed to us that they were actually apart of the design team that put the exhibit together (this was the coolest part of the experience to me!). They also mentioned that they loved listening to people’s conversations about the garments.
After they formally introduced themselves, we engaged in a deeper conversation and they ended up sharing how the tour was going, their travel stories while touring, and then we nerded out about lighting fixtures and garment details (only stylists and merchandisers would fully get this conversation!). Overall, they were really nice people and I truly enjoyed our conversation. Before we parted ways I made sure to tell them how much I appreciated their hard work. They seemed truly happy to hear that I noticed the small and intricate details such as lighting, draping, etc. I’d like to think that I encouraged them to do an even better job for the next exhibit.
Did You Enjoy This Exclusive Look At The Exhibit?
As mentioned in the article excerpt, this is a pop up exhibit so it’s only in Nashville for a limited time (from May 30th, 2024 - August 25th, 2024). This means that you may or may not be able to experience it in person (and I highly encourage you to go experience it ASAP because there is a lot to learn and unpack about Alexander McQueen and his career). However, if you aren’t able to attend for one reason or another, I hope that you enjoyed joining me virtually to get a glimpse of what this exhibit has to offer. I’ll be featuring more exhibits like this one as more opportunities become available, so in the meantime make sure you sign up for a free Style Society Membership so you can be the first to know when an article (like this one) goes live.
