McQueen's former fashion college marks his death

(AFP PHOTO/BEN STANSALL)

The London fashion college where Alexander McQueen studied paid tribute to the late designer at its masters degree course show Sunday, through the words of the man himself describing his time there.

Central Saint Martins helped launched the careers of many of Britain's top designers, including John Galliano, and its graduate catwalk show at London Fashion Week was a fitting place to mark McQueen's suicide on February 11.

The head-to-toe jumpsuits in white pleats, pink and blue men's shirts, and trailing jersey dresses with huge stars that graced the catwalk here Sunday were testament to the inventiveness of CSM students, who McQueen epitomised.

The designer's own words opened the show, through an audio interview he once gave describing how he ended up doing a masters at CSM despite having left school at 16 with only one qualification.

"I actually went there to teach pattern cutting, and ended up doing the master's degree. I only had one O-level in art so it was quite cool," said McQueen, who graduated from CSM in 1992.

He added: "But what I liked about it was the freedom of expression and being surrounded by like-minded people... it showed me there were other people out there like me."

Sunday's masters degree show included collections from 22 young designers, including Matthew Harding, who created all-white full-length outfits, whether jumpsuits or shirts and skirts worn over trousers, all made from white pleats.

The monochrome trend continued with Jackie JS Lee, who matched structured tunics, trousers and skirts in all stone and all black with simple detailing.

Jackie JS Lee was jointly awarded the Harrods design award - 5,000 pounds (7,700 dollars, 5,700 euros) and a spot in the department store's display window - with Lilly Heine, who adorned her outfits with blocks of fabric stuck together like plywood and cut to reveal the layers underneath.

Another graduate, Shao-Yen Chen, used a similar technique but sculpted white dresses out of thousands of compacted white fibres which were trimmed into big, ballooning sleeves and classic prom dress shapes.