Fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found hanging in the wardrobe of his London apartment last week with a note left nearby, a British coroner's official told an inquest Wednesday. No details of the note were released by the coroner's office, which is charged with formally identifying the circumstances of the designer's death. Coroner's officer Lynda Martindill said the 40-year-old McQueen had died of asphyxiation and hanging. Full details of the autopsy will be available in a few months. There were no suspicious circumstances in the death, and authorities suspect no malice, police detective inspector Paul Armstrong testified. McQueen - former creative director of Gucci and one of British fashion's brightest stars - was found dead Thursday at his home in central London, after he had left several messages on the social networking site Twitter revealing his grief at the death of his mother days earlier. Known for his dramatic statement pieces and impeccable tailoring, McQueen dressed celebrities from Cameron Diaz to Lady Gaga and influenced a generation of designers. Coroner Paul Knapman adjourned the inquest until April 28. The inquest has yet to rule on whether McQueen died by suicide.
