Photo courtesy of David Sims

Alexander McQueen

This collection, clearly inspired by the ecclesiastical wardrobe, the Virgin queen, Elizabeth I, and the Ballets Russes, was created in the last stages of Alexander McQueen creative director Sarah Burton‘s pregnancy.

Photo courtesy of David Sims

Due to her maternity leave, the collection only comprises ten looks, nevertheless worked and finished to high levels of precision and finesse. She divided the ten into five subgroups: Communion, nuns, cardinals, popes, and angels.

Photo courtesy of David Sims

The waist is cinched and the hips are exaggerated throughout. Volumes are overblown but lightness is paramount. Hyper-worked embellishment demonstrates an obsessive attention to detail – and detail within detail. Sharp pressing, multiple folds, quintuple and dégradé pleats, soutache embroidery, triple bulleting, silk and metal thread embroideries, enamelled flowers and more all feature.

Photo courtesy of David Sims

Rhombic grids lend a sense of graphic modernity to surfaces. Pearls and teardrop pearls evoke beauty and rarity. Hoop skirts, caging and corsetry enhance and idealise a quintessentially feminine silhouette and introduce an erotic undercurrent further suggested by stockings, suspender belts and harnessing. Each look is worn with an embellished ruff: faces are framed.

Alexander McQueen
Women’s Autumn/Winter 2013

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