By Jude Cramer
Just like the provocative fashion designer at its center, House of McQueen isn’t afraid to shock. Take its opening image: Alexander McQueen in silhouette, holding a gun in his mouth.
From the outset, Darrah Cloud’s new play doesn’t shy away from the dark side of the designer’s life, which he often channeled into controversial avant-garde runway shows.
The title role marks a sophisticated star turn for Bridgerton breakout Luke Newton, who captures McQueen’s physical demeanor with a requisite buzzcut and a pair of baggy jeans. The play sees Newton embody McQueen from his troubled childhood through the tumult of his adulthood, contending with homophobia, addiction, disease, and heartbreak.
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Indeed, House of McQueen’s plot is melodramatic, with tragedy after tragedy plaguing the designer throughout his life. If it weren’t based on a true story, it would be gratuitous. Even as it stands, the play teeters on overwhelming its audience with trauma. But grounding the story is the relationship between McQueen and his mother, Joyce (played by Tony nominee Emily Skinner), who always loved her son for who he was, not just for his genius—a humanizing contrast to the cutthroat world of fashion around them.
A play about a fashion designer, especially one as iconic as Alexander McQueen, calls for impeccable costuming. Thankfully, costume designer Kaye Voyce is up to the task. Especially striking are her recreations of looks from landmark collections of McQueen’s, including the ethereal and avian La Dame Bleue, the medieval and fiery Joan, and the asylum-inspired Voss. (An exhibition of actual archival McQueen garments is also on display in the theater, which audiences can visit before and after the show or during intermission.)
Split the seam of its over-the-top sensibilities, and House of McQueen offers raw humanity beneath the haute couture spectacle.
House of McQueen plays Off-Broadway at The Mansion at Hudson Yards through October 19.
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‘House of McQueen’ takeaway
In New York City, craving another helping of fashion history? The Costume Institute’s 2025 exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, which served as the centerpiece for this year’s Met Gala, is on display at The Met through October 26, where visitors can get a peek at a centuries-spanning exploration of Black identity through fashion.
