| Department: | Fashion&Management |
| Project title: | The survival of Alexander McQueen |
| Website: | www.jennifer-liu.com |
| Email: | info@jennifer-liu.com |
Project:
This project is about: “How can a fashion brand survive the death of its designer?”.
Iconic British fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen has passed away on 11 February 2010, this incident triggered a lot of questions in my mind such as; who will replace Lee McQueen? And what will happen to the company? I researched how other fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Chanel and Versace survived the death of their designer, interviewed staff members of the McQueen office in London, explored what media and professionals are predicting and what consumers think will be the future of the brand. This report’s findings have resulted in a tailored made recommendation for Alexander McQueen.
Response:
Alexander McQueen has been a big part of my fashion student life at AMFI. I interned at KCD in New York where McQueen was one of my accounts, freelanced for the shows in Paris and Milan and have been freelancing for them in London. Lee Alexander McQueen’s apparent suicide was a shock for the entire fashion industry. Everybody wants to know how the brand will continue, that is why I think my thesis is so interesting because everybody wants to know the answer. For me this thesis is a full circle project that can inspire people and bring a little bit of “hope” for the brand.
Results:
The outcome of the project is a tailored made marketing strategic advice report based on womenswear, menswear, McQ and accessories. Every line has its own target group and therefore there are different recommendations per collection. Through
re-inventing and renewing the company, using campaigns, pushing menswear, opening more McQ shops, having a face for the brand, creating accessibility, keeping the licenses with Puma and Samsonite and choosing the right designer (Olivier Theyskens) are all ways on how a fashion brand can survive the death of its designer.
