Kanye West On His Distressing Connection With Alexander McQueen

Kanye West took to Twitter, as he is wont to do, to discuss viewing the new Alexander McQueen documentary, McQueen. West, a longtime fan of McQueen, also talked about his struggles with mental illness and suicidal ideations. Earlier this year, he revealed that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and substance abuse disorder; West struggled with opioid addiction following a cosmetic procedure.

“I saw the Alexander McQueen documentary and I connected with his journey,” West wrote on Twitter. “I know how it feels to want to take your life back into your own hands even if it means taking your own life.”

West then assuaged fears that he was publicly experiencing a call to self-harm. “To make this clear and not weird. I’ve had these kinds of thoughts and I’m going to tell you things I’ve done to stay in a content place.” In a follow-up tweet, he discussed avoiding people who triggered such emotions (bipolar disorder is a risk factor for experiencing thoughts of suicide). The National Institute of Mental Health encourages those considering self-harm to reach out to a trusted person, either by phone or through social media.

McQueen, a lauded fashion designer, helmed Givenchy and his own namesake label, and won the CFDA International Designer Award in 2003. He committed suicide in 2010, and an autopsy revealed drugs in his system; he was not diagnosed with bipolar disorder prior to his death. The McQueen documentary was released this year, and was directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui.