“I understand very much its success but it’s not fashion. It is maybe theater or for a movie, but surely it is not to be worn by a woman. McQueen was a great artist but he was not a fashion designer.” Pierre Berge (Yves Saint Laurent’s partner)
Far be it for me to disagree with the partner of one of the world’s greatest couturiers (and a man who was among the first to create drama in fashion) but I do. The work of Alexander McQueen (and his successor, Sarah Burton) may not be wearable for every woman but it IS fashion. It’s fashion as theater and art. It may never be worn straight off the runway but individual pieces are wearable by women with the money to buy them. And while I find aspects of the collection unappealing (it's time to let the face mask helmets go) mostly I wish I could see these looks live and up close. They are that tactile and intriguing.
The soft tones make these 'happy dominatrix' looks. I love a cinched in waist.
It was at this point in the collection that the lace helmets really started to bother me. I get styling and impact but they distract from what is some amazing craftsmanship. Gold chiffon made to look like sea foam?!
Regardless of what you think about the overall look the amount of work that goes into achieving pieces like this is staggering. It is rooms of women sewing stitches so small they can’t be seen, creating perfectly uniform pleats and shaping miniscule beads into braids. It is craftsmanship usually found only in haute couture.
I never realized how much work goes into McQueen's clothes. Amazing detail and craftman/womanship. The pleated gold sleeve reminds me of Mario Fortuny's pleats. And the blue and silver fabric is fantastic.
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