Brand Identity and Elements of Alexander McQueen
On this website, we enjoy speaking about different kinds of brands, but luxury brands are constantly enjoyable to dig deeper into. That is because it is always productive to discuss the success of a brand, understand the different backgrounds that they have, and take inspiration from them. Fashion houses are no exception there, and the one that we are going to focus on in this blog is going to be Alexander McQueen. The latter was founded in 1992 by designer Alexander McQueen. It is a British fashion house, so let’s get into all the details of what makes Alexander McQueen stand out.
What is the identity of Alexander McQueen?
The Alexander McQueen house stands out for its innovativeness and the continuous incorporation of creativity that allows the company to express itself. This unbridled creativity also motivates consumers to express themselves.
As already mentioned earlier, the House was founded in 1992 by a designer under the same name, and it entered the Kerling Group in 2001. In 2000, Sarah Burton was the Head of Design of the company’s womenswear. In 2010, she was appointed Creative Director of Alexander McQueen.
Upon Sarah Burton’s guidance, the House came up with critically applauded collections motivated by an incredibly personal vision. These collections are according to time-honored craftsmanship, as well as immense experimentation.
In the modern time, British couture defines the House, and they have become synonymous.
The House has multiple critical inspirations, some of which are the British history understanding and passion for nature. Burton honors the weight of rural English traditions through an ongoing investigation of the natural world. Burton also creates an intention for a feeling of community. Other elements being incorporated in the fashion house are the contact of hand while attempting to keep on propelling within the limits of fashion.
The juxtaposition between the masculine and feminine is also significant to Alexander McQueen. These revolve around romance and rebellion, fragility and strength, man and machine.
The “bumster,” a low-rise jean style with a shallow cut that helped spark the low-rise jean craze, was one of Alexander McQueen’s early hits. Despite their notoriety, they played a crucial role in establishing McQueen as a novel and significant brand—a company that defied expectations and went above and beyond. The extravagant runway presentations that McQueen put on were every bit as colorful and creative as his clothes.
A human game of chess was played in the spring of 2005; a shipwreck theme was used in the spring of 2003; robots painted supermodel Shalom Harlow in the spring of 1999; and my personal favorite, a model-surrounded flame scenario in “Joan,” appeared in the fall of 1998. He gave terrific performances.
The Brand Positioning of Alexander McQueen
To discuss the positioning strategy of Alexander McQueen and look into it in practice, we will analyze the Instagram post below.
This post advertises one of the company’s bags, branded for the holiday season. The caption mentions the bag with a hashtag to ensure wider reach.
As for the photo, nothing more is needed than a red and grey background to highlight the elegance of the gold bag.
Sophisticated yet simple, this post is a powerful tool for reaching the attention and the desire of the 13 million followers of the company’s Instagram page.
The photographer is also mentioned in the post’s caption, Maxime Poiblanc, who has an Instagram page with over 9000 followers.
What are the messages that we can gather from this post?
This post promotes an aesthetically pleasing product; however, not only is the product beautiful but it is also showcased in that way. The company has gone out of its way to ensure that this pot is pleasing to the eye so the audience wants to analyze the product rather than just seeing the Instagram post and scroll through it.
The second hint is that Alexander McQueen is a luxury brand, and it differentiates itself like that in its different messaging strategies, but in this case, it’s an Instagram post.
With these points in mind, it becomes apparent that the archetype Alexander McQueen belongs to is the Lover.
- This archetype wishes to achieve intimacy and experience sensual pleasure.
- The purpose of the archetype is to discover a connection with the individuals, the work, the adventures they appreciate, and their surroundings.
- The approach of this archetype is to continue the process of becoming more and more attractive, whether it indicates their appearance or emotional healthiness.
Other brands of the Lover archetype are Christian Dior, Chanel, Alfa Romeo, Victoria’s Secret, etc.
These are the messaging levels of the archetype.
Level One: passion, interest, falling in love (with a belief, a person, a cause, a product, or work)
Level Two: going after great fantasy
Level Three: tracking your amusement and engaging with whom and what you cherish
Level Four: spiritual belief, self-acceptance, and euphoric world
The Lover archetype is a great identity for a brand:
- Whose utilization helps individuals in discovering friendship or love
- Whose use encourages communication, beauty, or resemblance between individuals or is connected with romance
- With above-average to high pricing
- If it is constructed or sold by a company with an intimate and elegant administrative culture, as objected to a giant Ruler hierarchy.
- That wants to differentiate itself entirely from lower-priced brands.
Brand archetypes: Why are they significant in practice?
The communication strategy of any given brand can take on various approaches. These different approaches aim for varying objectives. However, there is a core logic that connects all of these messages. The latter is the archetypal branding, which is a communication-based business strategy.
Archetypal branding helps businesses ensure clarity and uniqueness in their messaging strategy and the way messages are being delivered. If you analyze inspiring quotes claiming that your brand can reach the world and become revolutionary, these quotes have different meanings. They have different backstories; therefore, their effects are also to various extents.
For example, one quote focuses on becoming a hero. Another section could be about experiencing the world through a fun lens. Communication based on archetypes is all about mixing these messages under one scope and ensuring a more powerful message.
The “8 Steps To a Complete Archetypal Branding” book unravels how archetypes can guide your messaging strategy to ensure its effectiveness.
Identity of Alexander McQueen
To discuss the matter more thoroughly, we are going to take a look at a few positioning tactics of the company.
It speaks of three components.
- The category of Alexander McQueen
- Brand differentiation, how Alexander McQueen stands out from other companies
- Core idea. What main topic is that Alexander McQueen wants its clients to know?
Category
Lee Alexander McQueen founded Alexander McQueen as a luxury fashion house in 1992. The founder had an unyielding craftsmanship and outstanding creative vision.
Since 2010, the Creative director of the brand has been Sarah Burton, who develops critically applauded collections. Those are experimental and innovative; however, what is more important is that traditional values are maintained. Significantly, the power of the community contributes to these collections, and the human mind and hand are another significant.
This remarkable British fashion house suggests men’s and women’s ready-to-wear perfume and accessories.
Benefits and differentiation
A vital component of the brand’s marketing strategy is its creative direction. Alexander McQueen is known for pushing the envelope and producing bold, provocative creations. This company frequently performs dramatic runway performances that aim to leave an impression. Numerous media outlets cover these events, aiding the brand to uphold its standing as a pioneer in fashion innovation.
To increase its visibility and draw in new customers, Alexander McQueen frequently cooperates with other designers, artists, and businesses. Limited-edition collections, capsule lines, and co-branded products are examples of collaborative projects. For instance, the company has collaborated with Damien Hirst, Globe-Trotter, and Puma to create remarkable and one-of-a-kind collections that blend fashion with other artistic mediums.
Alexander McQueen uses digital and social media channels to interact with its audience and build brand awareness. The brand uses its active social media sites on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share images from its most current collections, behind-the-scenes footage, and collaborations. Influencers on social media who align with the company’s beliefs and style can be used in influencer marketing to reach a wider audience and promote the brand.
Global retailer Alexander McQueen has placed its flagship locations in significant fashion hubs with great care. These shops offer a distinctive shopping experience and function as immersive environments that capture the brand’s spirit. The stores’ visual merchandising has been carefully chosen to convey exclusivity and elegance while creating a unified brand narrative.
Through regular press engagements, the company fosters robust connections with fashion journalists and influencers. Alexander McQueen is frequently seen on the red carpet, in fashion magazines, and in runway reviews. The brand’s status as an innovator and pioneer in the sector is strengthened by this media attention, which also raises awareness.
Alexander McQueen is a master at using marketing campaigns and communications to tell captivating brand tales. Usually, the company uses art, history, and cultural references to inspire stories that connect with its intended audience. Press releases, websites, and marketing campaigns are just a handful of the ways these stories are shared.
The goal of Alexander McQueen is to give its customers a distinctive and alluring experience. The business offers made-to-measure services, VIP programs, and special events to its wealthy clientele. To maintain strong client relationships, the company also employs targeted email marketing, personalized recommendations, and follow-up letters.
Alexander McQueen places a strong emphasis on creativity, exclusivity, and storytelling in their marketing to make a name for themselves in the crowded luxury garment market. By consistently pushing the envelope and creating one-of-a-kind experiences, the company has maintained its position as a top fashion brand and gained a loyal following.
The main communication idea
Alexander McQueen runs an email marketing strategy. The latter implies that the company sends customized messages to its consumers. Those include event invitations, exclusive offers, and updates on new collections. This direct marketing approach helps strengthen customer relationships and inspire more purchases.
Brand Elements of Alexander McQueen
What do we imply by brand elements? Those are the logo, slogan, archetype, and other components.
Let us begin by the name.
The name element
The fashion house is named after its founder and continues to honor his legacy with timely, creative, yet traditional paces that keep getting released.
The logo element
The most prominent logo version of the company is “Alexander” in miniature letters on top of “McQueen,” in more extensive font size. This could be a simple logo. However, the company goes out of its way to add some sophistication by placing “C” in “McQueen.” The clean lines and the black color relate to the luxuriousness of the brand.
The slogan element
The luxury fashion house does not have an official slogan. The latter, however, once again speaks of its simplicity yet sophistication. The company has a lot to say, but it leaves its audience free to come up with its conclusions.
The color element
The color most celebrated by this company is black, as seen in the slogan. Black speaks of mysteriousness and refinement. The company uses a color strategy to honor its values.
The website
The company’s website is once again simple, with an intuitive layout—the colors of the website are black and white to create a contract between sentiments. Black peaks of mysteriousness, but white, on the other hand, signal calmness.
The packaging
The well-known Alexander McQuen package is a rectangular white box with red outlining symbols at the top. The package is simple but once again follows the cosmopolitan style of the company. But, of course, what is inside the box matters the most.
And there, we conclude the Alexander McQueen blog, where we touched upon the company’s identity, positioning, and brand element. Do not hesitate to stop by our main website for more informative and fun blog posts about other prominent companies like this one.
