I am so very sad to say that my favorite designer, Lee McQueen, has suddenly passed away this morning. The death comes days before the start of London fashion week and a month before the designer was to unveil his new collection at Paris fashion week. He was also set to show at NY Fashion Week today; One of his contemporary lines, McQ, was set to be shown this afternoon. Some are saying that it may have been a suicide because he has been depressed about his mother's death, who recently died last week. Either way he is gone and he will be missed!

Known for his dramatic statement pieces and impeccable tailoring, McQueen received recognition from Queen Elizabeth II in 2003, when she made him a Commander of the British Empire for his fashion leadership. "McQueen influenced a whole generation of designers. His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs," said Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue. "At one level he was a master of the fantastic, creating astounding fashions shows that mixed design, technology and performance, and on another he was a modern-day genius whose gothic aesthetic was adopted by women the world over."

McQueen received his training at the Central St. Martin's College of Art and Design, long recognized for its fashion-forward approach and encouragement of young designers. He worked for traditional Savile Row tailors Anderson and Sheppard and also Gieves and Hawkes before branching out into his own more theatrical designs.  He became chief designer at the renowned Givenchy house in 1996 and moved to Gucci as creative director in 2001.

McQueen’s runway shows — often more like performance pieces because they were so dramatic and, sometimes, bizarre — were always a highlight during the Paris ready-to-wear fashion week.