At the Chado Ralph Rucci show on Thursday evening, Vogue's editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley was clearly moved when asked for his reaction to Alexander McQueen's death. "It is a great loss. It's a tragedy for the fashion world," Mr. Talley said. "He was truly an innovator and a master."

Mr. Talley added: "It's just an extraordinary loss for all of us and a shock to the fashion world. [McQueen] had incredible talents and gifts and at the same time, he was a great poet. There are very few poets left."