Originally posted by Vogue UK@ October 30 2003, AM
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN was awarded his CBE yesterday, arriving at Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen with his mother, in a pink McQueen suit and Philip Treacy hat, and father, who wore a suit by Savile Row tailer Huntsman - for whom McQueen still designs the bespoke line. And while the British designer, whose company is now successfully growing under the Gucci umbrella, said he felt "very privileged" to be meeting the Queen and becoming a Commander of the British Empire, he was less impressed with the turn-out of his fellow awardees. Himself done up to the nines in full McQueen tartan, Alexander disapproved of Jamie Oliver's choice of an open collar beneath his Paul Smith suit. "I think Jamie should at leave have worn a tie today," he told reporters. "Whether ties are in or out, it just looks better."