The last time we touched base with the McQueen fashion house, it was to announce that Sarah Burton, head of womenswear, had been officially named creative director and successor of the label. Now, after months of suspense, Burton has debuted her first collection for Alexander McQueen.
Many were concerned after the reappointment of creative director, with fears that the McQueen aesthetic would be trampled and believed that the label should have been laid to rest along with his legacy at the time of Lee’s passing.
After the resort 2011 collection was debuted in Paris last month, it was clear that Burton had not reinvented the McQueen aesthetic, instead reconfiguring classic pieces with new silhouettes, and updating their design.
The Victorian jacket, once known for its flawless tailoring and structure, was remade this season into a white cotton shirtdress, a clear movement toward a wearable collection in line with the marketability of resort.
McQueen was also known for his focus on layering and outerwear, but Burton seemed to have brought the collection back to simple cocktail dresses and pantsuits.
A higher waistline was seen throughout, as apposed to McQueen’s fierce, traditional silhouette, with body-con cocktail dresses cinched with belts and adorned at the neck with armoured shoulder plates and collars.
The digitalism first seen in McQueen’s Spring 2010 ready-to-wear had also been reinvented for the label’s resort 2011 collection. A tribal, oriental print had been applied to key pieces such as the jacket and the coatdress, in honour of McQueen’s idea of print as art. Burton also carried out Lee’s exaggerated proportions, with billowing pleats and layered chiffon.
Although Burton’s first collection for Alexander McQueen may seem a little less dramatic - with minimal silhouettes and neutral hues - it is clear that Burton shares the same instinct for drama and glamour, as McQueen once did.
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