I couldn't get to David Koma and Holly Fulton's show this morning. After the very strong showing of Peter Pilotto at Waterloo's old Eurostar terminal we headed across to St Pauls Cathedral to pay our respects to the memory of Lee Alexander McQueen. Time to be still.
It was an exquisite, finely tuned event in what Shaun Leane pointed out in his address "would have been his ultimate venue. We did alright didn't we, Lee?" he asked gazing up into the majesty of Wrens dome.
When Michael Nyman played "The heart asks pleasure first" the key piece from his Oscar winning The Piano score, ourt hearts soared and broke just a little bit. It was funny when his closest girl friend Annabelle Neilson said Lee's sense of direction was so good, he often claimed he was born with "The Knowledge", (the three year training all London cabbies must complete). Anna Wintour was right when she said he was an artist who transcended fashion.
I caught my breath as Bjork emerged from Minor Cannons Aisle dressed in a gilded ostrich feather gown, wings rising five feet behind her. It was an image from another era. Bjork proceeded to sing Gloomy Sunday in her inimitable style, and it was a a perfect moment; beautifully sad.
I wanted to share the words Gloomy Sunday. You need quiet time to read them.
The photo used for the memorial of Lee is the shot above by David Bailey. It sums up the best of his sprit to so many people.