Alexander McQueen brings pagan legends to Paris Fashion Week
When the world is favouring street fashion, you can trust Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton to remain true to her creative vocabulary without getting too nostalgic.
This season she travelled with her team to Cornwall, a county South West of England known for its pagan landscapes and Celtic legends. The “Cloutie” wishing trees in particular inspired the collection.
The show opened with a line up of leather and knits featuring raw edges, gold and silver eyelets, and trailing coloured lacing which resembles the ribbons Cornwall natives tied to the twigs of Cloutie trees for goodwill.
These references are iterated in a boxy cut jacket with biker hardware elements and fluid dresses in tweed that are woven with twisted yarns and coloured chiffon strips.
The elongated silk dresses featuring ethnic patchwork prints of flora and fauna are another demonstration of Burton’s love for nature.
Her signature sartorial tailoring is reincarnated this season with a slew of tuxedo-esque cashmere felt coats clinched at the waist with a ultra-long leather belt worn with oversized pants and velvet sneakers.
The house’s excellent craftsmanship turned mythical motifs into lavish embroideries, beadings and sequinning. Old alchemic illustrations, druid symbols and Cornish wildlife are transferred to tulle dresses embellished with black and silver beads and glass stones.
The dresses all feature fringes and loose threads with feathers or a metal charm at the end that is a romantic interpretation of the pagan wishing tree. Those finale gowns are not only strong in editorial appeal, but are going to have A-listers locking horns during red carpet season.
Five McQueen looks we can’t wait to try
The black tulle dress with feather trims embroidered with old alchemy illustrations and druid symbols.
The tweed jacket with colourful chiffon strips.
The tiered knit dress inspired by Queen Guinevere’s armour.
These Chelsea boots with exaggerated pointed toe and dramatic details.
The box bag with lavish embellishments and accentuated hardware.
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Sarah Burton's firm aesthetic anchor, England's heritage and artisans, is carried throughout the autumn-winter 2017 collection