paris - alexander mcqueen - fall/winter 2008

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
there is no doubt that the most romantic vision in fashion belongs to alexander mcqueen. not romantic in a harlequin novel kind of way, but one that is so charged with so many emotions and has the power to have that emotion reciprocated by those priviledged enough to attend his shows. this collection was based on a fairytale mcqueen made up in his head about a princess who lived inside the six hundred year old elm tree in his own garden and how she met a prince and became a queen. there's always been a fantastical element to his designs which sometimes results on the clothes as being too costume. but time has taught him well and the restraint he put glowed throughout. there were ballerina inspired dresses with a crinoline skirt that brought back girlish dreams that evoked past memories of women remembering their youthful fantasies. when the little princess turned to a queen, the full assault of mcqueen's uncompromising beauty realized itself in empire waisted diaphanous gowns worn with lavish jewels and ermine, the same fur that trims the cape of the british crown. the image of britannia has always been a major component of the mcqueen universe and his take on the british uniform showed up in elborate gold thread jackets with military frogging and in a dress printed with the union jack and the queen at the same time. in a time of recession, consumers only buy out of necessity, or because they develop and instant connection to an item that they must have it irregardless of anything. and when mcqueen announced that his company has finally made profit, its not hard to understand why when he has the ability to put every single dreams of little girls that never go away down the runway.


photo: style.com