FAULT Magazine book must-haves: ‘Archive: McQueen: Backstage — The Early Shows’

Commemorating the fifth anniversary of the passing of Alexander McQueen comes the highly regarded ‘ArchiveL McQueen: Backstage – The Early Shows’ from Big Smile Publishing. The books gives a never before seen images from photography Gary Wallis whose friendship with Lee Mcqueen (later known as Alexander McQueen) would bloom at central saint martins when Wallis shot McQueen’s legendary ‘Jack The Ripper Stalks His Victims collection.

After graduating the pair staying in contact with Wallis being asked to photograph backstage at McQueen’s ‘The Birds’, ‘Highland Rape’, ‘The Hunger’ and ‘Dante’ shows.

One might think that Wallis’ artwork would become an after-thought to the scenes he was photographing but his photography is just as visually pleasing to the eye. Wallis has the ability to become invisible while backstage and capture wonderful moments like the image below of Jodie Kidd smiling backstage while preparing to model the ’Highland Rape’ collection in 1995.

The whole book is a work of art and welcome a coffee table essential for any lover of photography, fashion and the great workings of the great Alexander McQueen.