London Pays Tribute to Alexander McQueen

In the middle of Fashion Week's mayhem, London's style elite took a somber pause to honor Alexander McQueen at a memorial service held at St. Paul's Cathedral yesterday.

Anna Wintour, Naomi Campbell, Daphne Guinness, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kate Moss were among those who paid their respects to McQueen, who committed suicide shortly after the death of his mother in February. While fashion fans clamored at the gates to take shots of the celebrities--a rather tactless move, we think--the proceedings inside the cathedral were altogether more muted, as guests mourned the passing of one of fashion's most charming, daring provocateurs.

Wintour addressed a congregation of over a thousand people, recalling McQueen's genius ability to shock and awe with a story about his late 90's Dante collection--and the now infamous "bumster" trousers: "One (model turned to give me an extremely prominent close-up of her mostly naked back view. Well, after that collection it was a done deal. Everybody lowered their trousers everywhere."

The service also included a performance by Björk, who wore a harness in the shape of angel wings from McQueen's S/S 1999 collection and a silver helmet to sing "Gloomy Sunday," the haunting, dirge-like jazz tune most famously covered by Billie Holiday. The service closed with bagpipers dressed in tartan kilts, and, in the words of Hilary Alexander, the Telegraph's fashion director, "I think Alexander would have loved every minute of it."

Photos: EPA/Facundo Arrizabalaga