Alexander McQueen Dies at 40

Daphne Guinness sports Alexander McQueen's amazing Spring 2010 goat shoes.

Bryant Park continues with Fashion Week as fashion legend Lee Alexander McQueen is found dead in London at 40. Grief stricken McQueen wrote of his mother's death only last week. Fame cannot obscure the desolation that someone feels when a family member dies. I know first hand that nothing will make it better but, hopefully we move on with memories to comfort the hole in our hearts that can NEVER be filled. Mr. McQueen was overtaken and so sadly submitted.

On his website a few hours later in all caps, "On behalf of Lee McQueen's family, Alexander McQueen today announces the tragic news that Lee McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand has been found dead at his home. At this stage it is inappropriate to comment on this tragic news beyond saying that we are devastated and are sharing a sense of shock and grief with Lee's family... Lee's family has asked for privacy in order to come to terms with this terrible news and we hope the media will respect this."

"Just like everyone else in the industry, I'm shocked. What goes on in the minds of these creative geniuses we'll never know. " - Fern Mallis

"Very saddened for the loss of an amazing talent. It saddens me." - Patrick McDonald

"Anna Wintour stormed out of BCBG when she got the news, much to the shock of the fashionable crowd... I'm at Richard Chai. As I leave an editorial assistant is groaning about having to tweet. I get a text saying "Alexander McQueen has died" .... I check for info, his death is trending, as I go into blogger mode, rushing out of the tents. No one knows. Everyone is casual.

I'm in shock ... awe ... processing. He hanged himself. I call the one friend who's met him at a panel discussion. Trying to gauge who would kill themselves and why? The fashion maven who launched his career, Isabella Blow, poisoned herself with weed killer in 2007. McQueen's mother died a few days ago. He now joins her.

I'm at Bryant Park, they have tweets on an Amex Board, It's about an hour late, because they're fine tuning the technology, there is no mention of McQueen's death. The world still doesn't know. The news broke in a no man's land of info. KCD has canceled the presentation of his contemporary line and it seems that this season we not only bid farewell to a last season in the park, but one of the designers who inspired a generation, awed the press and shouted from the hilltops of London and Paris that fashion is art, culture, whimsy and can be commercial. All at the same time.

One of a handful of designers who can claim to have enchanted us. Even though many designers before him live streamed their shows, he was the first to make it work and caused us to tune in. This season many have followed suit.

Much like the sudden and shrouded death of Heath Ledger we are left grappling, trying to understand what loneliness needs to overcome; so that someone this amazing would need to take their own life. Outside looking in. Lee Alexander McQueen had it all, yet he clearly didn't agree."- Alex Geana of The Huffington Post