Alexander McQueen fall 2022

There are many things that can be said about Sarah Burton, but the most important is that on her worst day she is head and shoulders above the majority of her peers when it comes to delivering on a collection! I will openly admit that I had to read one review before I could write mine as I was curious, a rarity, to know the backstory, otherwise known as the blah blah blah that most designers use as an excuse or rationale rather than a jumping off point. Burton told it plain and simple, shooting from the hip, that New York City was her inspiration ... well...  that’s enough for me ... I don’t need any esoterica or faux intellectual espousals from any designers.

While I may not have been crazy about the dresses, in most cases, whether for fabrication or reasons of design, the high point of this collection was in the tailored pieces which ranged from close to the body (not second skin) to slightly and I emphasize slightly, oversized. No balloon dragging hemmed pants, no shorts, just slim pants worn with stilettos and not oafish or Wookie shoes. Imagine that, she touched on so many trends that I found so wrong in other collections but when done with this kind of skillset, they were so slick, so smooth and so right!

The one shoulder jacket with asymmetrical organza pouf lapel was staggering as was the tuxedo dress with glacé lace and beading. It’s a rare moment I can speak about McQueen as being soigné but so many times in this collection it was with seemingly little effort. The airbrush prints sure did remind me Lee’s famous show where the paint was sprayed onto the model and then of course there was black leather, some tough as nails and others as feminine as charmeuse gown. I guess it is best summed up by saying this is what can happen when designers actually design.

My biggest criticisms would be that I wish the dress part was stronger or more pleasing to my eye and that the casting did not lean so heavily on so many gender fluid models rather than the more “painted “variety ...  that’s just me as I think that would have been an asset.

Anyway ...I did like it ... A LOT ... I just can’t say I LOVED IT!

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Alexander McQueen fall 2020

Why is it so difficult for any of the so-called media elite reviewers to just write a review about the clothes? All this rabble about the inspirations and the whys and wherefores don’t appear on the racks… just the clothes so why not cut the crap and either talk about the clothes ... say you love them say you hate, them and why and jeez have an opinion!

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Sarah Burton continues to work her magic when it comes to channeling Alexander McQueen which is more important than a nod to the Celts!   The clothes are precise, edgy and this time around a much-pared down version without all the extreme details but certainly a long way away from being boring.

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To me, many of the leathers looked a tad heavy handed but then again, I’m rarely a fan of leather dresses or suits and then there were the prints which is always a sticking point in any collection and lastly the fixation with that back-floor length panel cum train…. Not exactly necessary or appealing on a lot of pieces.

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Let’s speak of the beauty of the broderie anglaise looks the magnificent tailoring of the suits and the gowns and dressy dresses which were so beautiful and a few even appearing lighter than air which is certainly not a typical McQueen look.

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As a whole it is still one more homage to the genius who left behind his alter ego to carry on his talents in unimaginable ways. Kudos to you Sarah Burton…

Alexander McQueen SPRING 2020

So this is how you mix tradition, DNA, trend, fashion, newness and innovation to a heritage brand and create a tour de force of creativity!

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Unquestionably Lee McQueen lives inside the body or brain of Sarah Burton. It is unendingly refreshing and exhilarating to see a collection that has remained in touch with its roots and has evolved since its founder’s untimely death.

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This is an ultra-feminine collection with an edge. This is how you do white, this is how you mix black leather and white lace to make it look as if it’s weightless, and this is how you do beautiful dresses, sleeve treatments and razor sharp suits and then girlie ruffles to ice the cake.

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It’s been a very long fashion caravan but this is so worth waiting for and puts most everyone else to shame with few and I mean with very few exceptions. 

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Kudos, bravo and thank you for restoring my belief that newness is still out there when actual talent exists!

Alexander McQueen fall 2019

Here is a collection that leaves one breathless, astounded and slack jawed!

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Sarah Burton is the reincarnation of Alexander McQueen and if not the reincarnation then he lives within her; this is one of the most masterful collections … actually, the most masterful collection of the season, she is at her best, the clothes are incredibly rendered in the sharpest and most precise way, the designs are what one should expect when they think of what collection fashion should be.. They are aspirational, enviable and covetous!

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Tailoring is of course the star but the intricacy, details,  incredible dresses and leathers are hard to beat but then again they have no competition in the arena in anywhere. 

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Again, this is not a collection for everyone... in any way shape or form. But god they make you salivate. For some reason, I got this Alaïa vibe a few times during the viewing but it doesn’t matter as it was just a vibe not a look.

If there is anything that I can say that was detrimental to the collection it was those prints which one can suppose was to commercialize the collection which sadly didn’t happen or maybe happily and one  red leather dress which looked weighty and clumsy but hell there was so much to love and so much that was exquisite who cares?

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Kering seems to think they can turn this brand into a juggernaut like Gucci and I say the only way that will happen is if Sarah is fired or quits. This line should never be commercialized and sensationalized with mammoth productions as this is a rare exception where no distraction is needed since the spotlight blindingly shines on the clothes … as it should be.

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There really aren’t enough words and I don t want to bore you with my gushing of it piece by piece but hell this was surely worth waiting  for … and it’s a fitting run up to the last of Monsieur Lagerfeld’s final Chanel collection.