The horoscope of Alexander McQueen, enfant terrible of the Britsh Fashion Scene….

Alexander McQueen, one of the UK’s most influential clothes designers was found dead in his appartment yesterday afternoon, on the eve of his mother’s funeral. He was just 40. Alexander McQeen’s star rose in the 1990’s – when his wayward style – influenced by London street fashion found its way to the catwalk – and put UK fashion back on the map. Born in the East End of London – son of a taxi-driver – Alexander McQueen’s rise to the top had everything to do with unique talent. The horoscope of Alexander McQueen (source Astrotheme).

McQueen was born right at the end of the sixties – when London was truly hot and swinging – just hours before a solar eclipse (both Sun and Moon are close to the Moon’s North Node). The North Node has a Jupiterian quality to it – while it is also linked to trends in the collective and with important meetings that can change the course of one’s life. The Moon is very strong in this chart – during  a solar eclipse it blots out the Sun – and though McQeen was a homosexual – women played a huge role in his life.  Firstly, McQueen was hugely attached to his mother. She interviewed him once, and asked him what his greatest fear was, his reply “Dying before you.” The next female to play an important role was fashion sylist Isabella Blow. Blow with links to Tatler, and Vogue spotted his talent at his graduation show at Central St. Martin’s College. She bought the entire collection and promptly took McQueen under her wing. It was Blow who persuaded the designer to change his name from Lee to Alexander. Blow herself committed suicide in May 2007.

The Sun/Moon conjunction – the two lights as they are often called – oppose the planet Pluto – who has linked to the idea of thanatos – the death drive. It is interesting that it was McQueen who brought the image of the skull to the catwalk. On the positive front, Pluto’s opposition in this chart suggests the will to power, the will to succeed, the drive to make a mark on society, Pluto is after all in the 11th house. However the down side of this opposition suggests symbiotic relationships and this is exagerrated firstly by the Sun and Moon’s placement in Pisces, and secondly because both lights are simultaneously effected. With the emotional and more conscious sides of the character, in opposition with Pluto, loss and the grief that goes with it, would be exceptionally hard to deal with. There would be no place to go – to escape intensity of feeling – no rational way out. When the Sun and Moon share the same space, transits and progressions also affect both planets simultaneously- and that is what has been happening in the last year. Saturn’s journey through Virgo opposed the Sun and Moon/ while Uranus in Pisce conjuncted them. 

Pisces is a soft sign – sensitive and other-worldy – Mercury in this sign adds a quality akin to telepathy – knowing perhaps whats “in”. Add a smidgeon of Venus in Ram (daring, far out fashion) with Saturn (discipline, skill, knowing how to work the cloth, haute couture ). At 16 McQueen was an apprentice in Saville Row at a suit makers – and what is a suit? Little more than fitting Saturnian attire for “city” gentelemen. Jupiter conjunct Uranus adds a quality of adventurism and excitement, “where angels fear to tread, there go I…..”  I imagine borders to be a relative concept to one born in the year that man first walked on the Moon.

Love him or hate him – Alexander McQueen was a unique talent. He did his own thing on the catwalk and off it. He was the enfant terrible of the fashion scene- and his presence will be missed.