McQueen on Film

London that grey dirty city world-famous yet on its surface drab with its meandering filthy river. Yet to so many of us it is beyond beautiful, a spiritual home for all that is great of this historic town. The river bed all silt and wet grey sand its bridges, its pathways, crisscross back and forth from North to South romanticly holding the history of Dickens, Shakespeare, and every rock and roll story the city has to offer. From Victorian-era baddies to the untamed youth of the 1980s London is layered the in history of its inhabitants. The sand of the banks of the Thames that wash up particles from era bygone is a place of celebration of London as its best story location. Maybe that is why Sarah Burton and Jonathan Glazer choose it as a location for the newest Film for Mcqueen, the hard-edged romance entrenched within the location echoes back the hard romance of the new collection. So find the film here that unveils the spring/ Summer 2021 womenswear collection and Pre Autumn/ Winter 2021 men’s.

We see a pair of women walking through the side of the river Thames holding on to the edges of their corseted dresses. Softly pink against the grey paled background of London when the sun refuses to shine.

Youths look, search and even gather for a picnic at the edge of the river, seemingly having referenced every youth movement from the past thousand years petulant, at ease, absorbed in their own world. They gather they eat they kiss the look for a fight. This is their ‘turf’ their world, their moment. They live it, this tribe of London broken beauties; they live it in their McQueen.

The collection, First Light, like the river itself a mirror of hard and soft, romantic and harsh as old as its years as fresh as a new day.

Both men’s and women’s collections that directly speak to each other are stripped back and reflective. A compliment to each other. A core colour palette of soft pink white black and beige allow for a tight edit. But these collections are all about the fabrication, textile and detail.

Fabrications come from traditional materials like tulle and stock fabrics from the atelier as well as denim, leather, chantilly lace and jersey but added in is a new fabric called polyfaille which is splattered throughout both the men’s and women’s collections. Look for texture and tone matt to high shine.

But it’s the details that add the real depth to the collection, look closely and see corsetry details either real or printed harnessing details pleating drapery, and of course, a real signature of the brand for many years is the splicing elements. fabric mix within one garment to elevate a core trend that of classic tailoring meets corsetry leatherwear and sports elements.

The silhouette is nipped in at the waist and full across the body voluminous and structured, tailoring net yet slightly softer. Accessories are minimal but remain as punk as ever with sculptural ear bars a stand out.

All in all the collection steeped in Alexander McQueen heritage echos past and present love and hate hard and soft, punk and princess an utter joy of craft and creation.

Available to pre-order online and in shops from Spring

Right, cut-out t-shirt in ivory layered jersey with a black corset print and a butterfly-draped skirt in engineered tulle toile print on polyfaille. Far-Right biker jacket in soft black leather with exploded sleeves and peplum in black tulle and a skirt in blush tulle. 

A single-breasted tailored camel coat with dropped MA1 sleeves and a hybrid parka back in khaki McQueen graffiti jacquard and tracksuit bottoms with zip detailing in black gabardine with a black satin side stripe

Left, bomber jacket with dropped MA1 sleeves in black polyfaille and leather and slim leg trousers in black leather. Right, layered cut out t-shirt in white cotton jersey with McQueen graffiti print and biker trousers in black leather with zip detailing.

Hybrid shirt dress with an exploded sleeve volume and a parka skirt in optic white cotton poplin with a cotton piqué belt and detailing.

Left, black biker jacket with zip detailing, a vest in white cotton jersey and biker trousers with zip detailing. Right, parka with kimono sleeves and a gathered neckline in black polyfaille and track bottoms with zip detailing in black stretch twill with an ivory satin side stripe

Left, hybrid cocoon biker jacket and peg jeans in black leather and washed blue denim with tobacco topstitch detailing. Middle, biker jacket with an open neckline and a biker wrap skirt in soft black leather and a shirt in white cotton poplin. Far-right, biker wrap skirt in soft blush leather

As before, parka with kimono sleeves and a gathered neckline in black polyfaille and track bottoms with zip detailing in black stretch twill with an ivory satin side strip

Deconstructed dress with a strapless corset and an exploded skirt in layers of blush and tea rose tulle

We will leave the final word to Sarah Burton

 Back to London, coming home. 

“Shape, silhouette and volume, the beauty of the bare bones of clothing stripped back to its essence – a world charged with emotion and human connection.” 

If you enjoyed reading McQueen on Film then why not read Virus Classics Here