Alexander McQueen’s worn and torn chic

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Oct 3, 2017

An ode to an English garden with a punk rock twist was the theme of an exhilarating collection by Sarah Burton for the house of Alexander McQueen.

 
Inspired by the famed English garden of Great Dixter, the inside of the ageing Orangerie of the Luxembourg Gardens was redone with a red brick catwalk and a series of gazebos over which were thrown giant white cotton embroidered sheets with delicate fabric irises, blooming poppies, wild orchids, deep red snap dragons and candy floss colored furcraea. Just like Great Dixter.
 
Out marched the cast in a brilliant series of bedraggled gowns and ripped up panache. For day, deconstructed trenches with mattress silk panels, off-the-shoulder leather punk princess robes, all studded and finished with bold peplums, in black or fire engine red.

For evening, beautiful barely-there red satin ruffled flamenco dresses though slashed and swerving to one side. The sheer beauty of the total concept climaxing at a brilliant finale, a group of white taffeta looks – a cross between a slip dress and a ball-gown. Each shredded and finished with delicate summer flower blooms.
 
It has been a season of overt romanticism but one grounded with a certain sense of Tough Street chic. As was the case at McQueen, where every model marched in combat boots, albeit studded with gold buttons; or embossed with sequined mini guitars and saxophones; finished with see-through Perspex heels containing tine rose buds.
 
All together, a particularly beautiful fashion statement, by a designer who has few rivals when it comes to creating eye-jarring beauty and bold femininity. All ignited by that uniquely English inspiration the eccentric, and much loved, country garden.