Art and Religion

McQueen often referenced art historical works in his garments. He favoured the painters of fifteenth-century Northern Europe, including Hans Memling, Robert Campin and Hieronymus Bosch.

Details of their artworks are not simply quotations, but connected to the greater theme within each McQueen collection. These fine art samplings often depicted figures of salvation, moments of extreme religious pathos or scenes of grisly persecution.

McQueen also followed contemporary art and shared affinities with the work of divergent, sometimes extreme artists such as Joel-Peter Witkin, Rebecca Horn and Polly Morgan. Not only did McQueen collect the creations of these artists, he also referenced their artwork within his fashion show presentations.