How Alexander McQueen has reimagined romance for everyday dressing
Inspired by London’s vivid beauty, the British label’s romantic heart was given an urban edge this season
Alexander McQueen is renowned for its darkly romantic, feminine aesthetic. Each collection spins a sartorial tale that could be the stuff of storybooks. In this realm, first imagined by the eponymous designer upon the house’s inception in 1992, sharp-shouldered suits are worn alongside beautiful, overblown gowns decorated with everything from seashells to decaying roses, a sense of foreboding delicately balanced with the lightness of fragile fabrics.
Sarah Burton has seamlessly continued Alexander McQueen’s masterful storytelling since 2010, juxtaposing femininity with masculinity, strength with vulnerability, and finding inspiration everywhere from the cities of the North to the wilds of the West Country. This season, the designer looked closer to home for her starting point, taking the brand back to the streets of London that McQueen himself was so enamoured by – the late designer cut his teeth at a theatrical costumier in the British capital before apprenticing on prestigious Savile Row, and was fascinated by the history of the city and the Victorian era in particular.
“Sarah Burton looked closer to home for her starting point, taking the brand back to the streets of London that McQueen himself was so enamoured by
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For SS21, inspired by both London’s sprawling concrete structures and magnificent historic landmarks, Burton brought back a tougher and more urban edge to the brand’s house codes. Signature frills and soft, waterfall-hemmed skirts that would otherwise be cascading in bountiful tulle became easy essentials when rendered in everyday denims. Puffed sleeves that might once be embellished became crisp, instead, featuring on classic cotton dresses or as a sculptural addition to button-up denim jackets and trench coats. The contrast between these mid-20th century couture silhouettes and utilitarian fabrics adds a raw and punkish feel to the collection. This is Alexander McQueen stripped back to its absolute essence, making for the perfect solution to warm-weather dressing and as easily paired with summer boots as with strappy sandals or classic tennis sneakers.
“Couture silhouettes in utilitarian fabrics add a raw and punkish feel to the collection
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The ‘Curve’, a new handbag silhouette for SS21, perfectly encapsulates this grounded mood. A bucket silhouette sits comfortably across the body with an adjustable strap, with decorative buckled detailing adding a more robust Alexander McQueen flourish to the otherwise understated design. Roomy enough to store your daily essentials and available in myriad hues to suit every mood, this everyday bag is sure to be a beloved addition to wardrobes for seasons to come.