London Fashion Week: Alexander McQueen AW16
Sarah Burton described the Alexander McQueen AW16 woman as “almost sleepwalking, in a state where reality and dreams become blurred”, with this collection certainly having more than just a dream-like quality.
The show started off with solidly constructed black coats adorned with watch, butterfly and eye prints, accessorised with fur trims and bright pink leather gloves. This ladylike aesthetic continued with loose tulle, printed dresses (with cut-out shoulders and chest detail to take it from twee to suitably risqué), before moving on to a tougher woman with leather ‘80s-inspired dresses covered again in that butterfly print.
Typical of McQueen, lace and sheer organza was used to create dramatic falling-off-the-shoulder and décolletage-exposing dresses, while the use of fur added a more solid, autumn/winter-friendly texture.
The pièce de résistance came at the end of the show, with dresses that were more haute-couture than ready-to-wear. Sheer floor-skimming dresses covered in delicate moon and star prints came with matching capes, while jewel-encrusted, pattern-covered pieces and quilted duvet-like coats really were the stuff of dreams.
