Death of Alexander McQueen ...Do we nurture today's talent?

Open arms

           Pondering at a tomb

Like anyone else associated with fashion industry the news spread swiftly of the death of Alexander Mc Queen. I was getting text messages and Facebook IM from everyone wanting to hear my thoughts on his death.




My immediate internal reaction was " oh dear God, this young man took his own life " Now I am not fatalistic or morbid or even a sensationalist. In fact I tried to push this gut reaction out of my mind hoping I was wrong... but I know my gut.... so I set out to gain the facts about his untimely death ... Alexander McQueen who's real first name was Lee had in fact taken his own life. Such a tragedy he was such a young man, he was only 40!

McQueen rocketed to icon status in the fashion industry thanks to his muse a former editor, who sadly also took her own life less than three years ago.

Therefore, I found myself rivited the story as I set out to search for what lessons might be gleaned for the tragic loss of this young man, who was also known as one of fashion's "la enfant terrible."

As I was musing the details of his death online, I came across a poignant interview by an older industry peer who pondered the question of "do we nurture our young talent???"    Sadly it seems as if to imply we do not, instead we exploit them to fuel our own fashion fantasy.

Being around the fashion industry so long, I have witnessed other untimely deaths of other talented young men and women such as Patrick Kelly, Willi Smith, Franco Moschino, Versace ( Lady Di)  and others. I personally  had providential encounters with a few of the older designers who also passed in recent years; Bill Blass and YSL.


Perhaps this why I related so much to my students who were in shock over the loss of an icon. Each generation has its own set of icons and the last two men I listed, had been my inspiration in my youth and during my years of producing knitwear. ( But those God-sighting stories are for another day )


Today, my attention and focus is about all the young "pups' I teach fashion design to  that are struggling over the loss of someone like themselves who was so young and vulnerable..... it is about their reaction to death of an icon.


Since the news broke, speculation has been rampant. It appears now as the facts have finally come to light, ...what triggered his hopelessness had been a combination of  several tragic losses. First it was the suicide of his muses in recent years, coupled this with the recent death of his beloved mother ( he died before he could  even attend her funeral) and sadly the crushing blow was being jilted by his male companion... all together these isolated incidents and rejections formed what seemed to be the perfect storm of loss and tragedy that were  far to deep to bear for such a solitary young man.


Here is a copy of my original posting my FACEBOOK which I posted for my students:


The link (no longer available) I provided was the best video tribute I have seen that poses the question...are we really nurturing todays talent?


The interview shows a depth of compassion from an older peer that explores and conveys the vulnerability of artists and the lonely isolation of the top, and implies the need for a strong belief system beyond... the realm of fashion when the storms of life hit....no one is immune...it causes us to reflect who will you turn to when the storms of life hit? Who will be your rock? (end of my Facebook post)


We are all vulnerable to rejection, and loss...it would not take much for any of us to crumble if the perfect storms of life hit us....so I repeat the question to you, as much as I challenge myself....who or what are you serving?




Let's be honest...where your time is, where you money goes, that is where your heart and passion lie.   The big question is.... Is your "idol" a safe haven for life's perfect storms?


This young man seem to have had what most of my students crave, ....talent,  fame, fortune... but in the end...fashion proved to be not "enough" to save him.


What came to my mind as I ponder the impact on my students as they processed McQueen's death ...were the words of King Solomon...3,500 years ago wrote about looking back over his own life, in the world's eyes one of fame, fortune and success... in his own word he admitted that he had succumbed to the futility of chasing vanity,


Ecclesiastes 12:1


"Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth,
before the days of trouble come..."


Upon first reading you might thing there is no comfort in Solomon's words.....But I ASSURE YOU...This is not a morbid reflection...


Instead it IS  one of consolation, in a world of "free will" to "choose who or what we will serve" Solomon concluded like other men of God that the "sun does shine on the good and the bad, as does the rain fall on both" the question is... can God be enough in good times and in tragedy? Did he really "pay a ransom for souls???"


Having walked through my own valley of the shadows of death, I have found myself saying again and again to my own soul...."Lord either answer my questions or BE the answer" "Reveal yourself to ME"      "Comfort me,.... be enough!"


As I look back on times where I wondered if God really was far off from my pain, and when I was doubting his wisdom and seemingly lack of intervention, yet  I can state with confidence that time and again He has proven to me the value of this passage over the losses and tragedies I have faced. Once when I was really angry with him over the death of a dear artist friend he made the following passage actually make sense to me...it reads

"oh death where is thy victory or death where is thy sting."


In other words, loss and tragedy do not have to have the last say in my life.


That is the beauty of an intimate relationship with God, no one else can reach you where it really hurts...know one knows you like he does...time and again He proves himself to me in ways that no one else can understand...he meets me where I am at and where my need is.


So that is why I am sharing my thoughts today to those dear ones reading this now who may be struggling and feel shattered by the loss of this fragile young man, we may not know until eternity what decisions were uttered by McQueen with his last breath...I can say for sure my hope is that Lee cried out to God...


....but I must turn my focus NOW to the living and my prayer is for those young designers like Lee who are building a life on sinking sand...please what you are really pondering is your own mortality...I urge you to learn from Solomon...learn from McQueen's death .....choose Jesus.... while you are still young.  God does want you to be successful .....He does want you to use your talent to the fullest, and He does want you to enjoy the fruit of your labors,  but it is all about HIM...eternity is so long to be wrong...our life really amounts to the dash mark between the date of our birth and the date of our death....eternity is so long to be estranged from someone who died for you and loves you so much, he deserves first place in our lives.


Moses said it clearly...."I set before you life and death, blessing and curse...choose life!"


I leave you with one last thought... to not choose...is to choose!


May God comfort and instruct your hearts as you have the courage to confront where your are building your hopes and your future on.






Till next week...


Kathleen

Macedonian Call

My Macedonian Call continues...

Macedonia what a special place...the country is small land-locked country boardering Greece that first came on my radar  well over 25 years ago when I read the amazing story of the apostle Paul's first visit there.

The story is recorded in the book of Acts in chapter 16.  In the account Paul was given a vision of a man in Macedonia pleading for Paul to come and help.   However, if you carefully read the account, the first person Paul meets in the land is a "woman"  not a man...  She was one of the more wealthy and prominent business woman  she was outside in the countryside  with her friends praying and seeking to understand more of God.  The woman's name was Lydia and she is referred to as a seller of purple!  In layman's terms this is a textile/fashion designer selling high end fabrics to the wealthy. 

As someone who has spent her entire adult life in the pursuit of textiles, fashion and of course wanting to know more about God...this caught my attention.   I had to laugh to myself as I read....even the great apostle Paul had to have God work within the confines of Paul's obviously religious mind-set...( I guess this means there is hope for me and my " mindsets" to     :   D

You can read it for yourself....God had to give Paul a vision of a "man" pleading for help!  No doubt if the vision had been of a woman, Paul would have rebuked the vision and dismissed the vision as not being from God. 

BUT, the good news is, that once he arrived,  Paul clearly recognized it was God's prompting after all...you will discover that after a brief conversation with the woman, Paul could see that these women were seeking something more than they had been taught all their life.    Well, this story made me laugh  and wonder what extremes does God go to in order to get my attention...it also caused me to ponder what is so special about Macedonian women?  

At the time I first read the book of Acts I had never visited  Macedonia nor had  I even met anyone from this country...so it only seemed appropriate for me to ask God to send me a student from there so that I might have a better understanding, of what makes this place so special that he personally sent the apostle Paul there!!!    He answered this prayer  about 10 years later, I received my first student from Macedonain that came to the college where I taught fashion and textile design.   Her name was Tanya and she was delightful, talented, kind and generous.  We spoke often about her country, the political situation and of course the struggles with the neighboring countries.  You can go online to the http://www.worldfactbook.com/ for more info on the country.   From a bible stand point if you are unaware, Macedonia has been listed in the bible since the ancient days of Daniel and is referred to as the bronze portion of Nebuchadnezzar's vision in Daniel 2:23, 39.  It is also refered to as the leopard with 4 heads  Dan. 7:6, 17 and as the male goat in Dan. 11:4.   In recent years the country peacefully gained independence in 1991. 

Macedonian Call Fall 2009   &    Feb. 2010

The images you will see below, are a continuation of my Macedonian call story.  It continues in the fall of 2009  when I was invited by some providential circumstances ( due to my expertise as an educator and textile artist)  to  personally meet  with the Ambassador from Macedonia to the US.  

Naturally, prior to meeting this man, I sought God to discover what God wanted me to do or say at this meeting.

As a research junkie ( I have actually written a college textbook on how to do research) ( after reading my blog you will also see why I needed an editor...LOL  ) and as a woman who loves to talk (pray) to God,  I immediately researched the latest happenings in Macedonia and I also searched my archive for one of Tanya's drawing that she had made for me back in the 1990's while she was my student.  It was very special to me and I kept is a visual token for all the prayers I had offered up for this country.    The image was of a Macedonian bride holding what appeared to look like the cross...it seems to be held all most like a scepter or sword in her right hand.  Sensing the prophetic nature of the image I had determined that THIS is the token I should give to the Ambassador from me.   I reprinted a digital copy for the Ambassador, along with typing and sharing  the story from the book of Acts of the "man" in Macedonia seeking help. I noted to him in my letter the similarities to our meeting.  I shared with the Ambassador what I perceived ...that  here  once again, may be  it was God using a "man" (him)  to plea for help for his country on behalf of many sectors of the Macedonian economy, but the fashion world in particular!

Nothing, seemed to transpire as a result of our meeting,  only a few polite email correspondences along with my offer to come and visit...but nothing more. 

However, this seemingly unfruitful meeting, did not negate my heart for this country. Frankly, it caused me to step up my praying all the more.  I found myself continuing to pray and ask the Lord to send SOMEONE who would once again turn the hearts to the good news that Paul had shared so long ago...I also prayed that all of the people groups representative of this precious country would be touched by God's deep love and concern for them.

To my surprise earlier in this week I had been invited to a local Macedonian festival...So last night as I attended  the festival  held in South Florida.  I had purposed in my heart to search once again to "See" what God might be saying to me about this precious country. Here below are images from this event.

Take a look,

You will see my annotations of the images, and hopefully will  also "see"  for yourself what I "heard" from God's heart for this special country and people...dear ones that God personally still cares very much about!

The woman at the microphone named Dana, who is a very special local business woman who is serving with devotion the country of Macedonia,  I have to smile again to myself,  as I observe this precious unselfish Jewish woman being used by God to bless the Macedonanian people here in South Florida, just as he had used Rabbi (Apostle) Paul

. 

Here in the photo is the "man" from Macedonia who came seeking help and support for his country... he is Ambassador of Macedonia to the US.

These images show the lovely native costume and fabrics of the Macedonian people.

There is also shown an image of the local dance, it makes me think of God's instruction for us to praise, dance and worship him in good times and in bad. Music is important to every culture it can define who they are as a people. 

As I walked around the festival I read and continued to discover more about the culture.  I also spent time with some dear women who brought their treasures from home of  drawings, photos,  books and crafts to share. I also noticed that there were other flags from many places that represented where the Macedonia people migrated too here in North America.

 

One of the highlights for me was meeting the two women shown here.  I could not help but see in thier hearts were the passions and respect for the traditions of their forefathers, and I learned of the hope they shared for the next generations who too are seeking to learn more about preserving these traditions ...

my prayer is that God would raise up more and more modern day Lydias...who will seek God's heart and mind for this country! 

Here is Dana again with a few key leaders of the local Macedonian community singing the national anthems of both Macedonia and the United States...and below...like the tiny country is

 

The humble simple stage where everyone gathered.

This image defined for me what God wanted me to see ...I could not help but admire how this dear older man stood for what seemed to be hours ....strong and proud holding the flags....It reminded me to pray that God would raise up in addition to more Lydia's, men and women of God he refers to as watchmen ( that is people who know how to successfully pray for the country the God's promises.)

Let's face the remnant of believers may be small like Gideon's army but  I know they exist there and this  dear older man  standing strong aholding the  flags of these two countries that seemed intertwined,  ...served as a visual reminder of what God wanted me to be reminded of..... A flag or banner is a metaphor of God's word......here is what His word says "when the enemy comes in like a flood, God raises up a standard ( or HIS flag)  which is Christ... and....all who look to HIM will not be disappointed or put to shame.  Standing faithfully in prayer is a choice...holding up God's word in faith is hard when everything in the natural wants to cause us to doubt.

Faith in "faith"  is  futile and vain,  "faith without works is dead"...but faith in in a God  who so "loved the world that He gave his only son and personally sent the Apostle Paul!" is what we are called to do.  So faith coupled with our  action of compassionate acts and practical service can reclaim the rich inheritance that God had purposed so long ago for this country.  God is not limited to the world's system of doing things.  His heart is for people and nations...He sees Macedonia and my prayer is that the seeds planted by Paul and the faith of friends of Lydia will remind people once again that hope is not an emotion, it is a person...his name is Jesus...and hope does not disappoint.

My desire and prayer is that one day, the Lord will throw open wide for me the door to  finally go and visit this country.....but until then I will pray for Lord will reach this new generation and to call forth the "Lydias"  that will  "seek" God....even in the most unlikely places as well as for them to listen and look for God's response in the most unlikely packaging!

Blessings,

Kathleen