Sunday 21 March 2010

20,000 leagues under the sea


Alexander McQueen, or 'Lee' as he is known to his friends, has always been one of my favourite designers. His work has often been described as "Schizophrenic with sharp wit", and this is exactly the reason for which i admire him. People these days seem to be so scared to experiment for fear of getting it wrong, and the value of ones own expressionism seems to be an idea that has escaped our current society, but not for McQueen. He respects no limits over what a fashion show can be, presenting his work in churches, assylums and even padded cells. In addition to this, he has also been known to make models fly, walk on water and find their way through blizzards. It is this unbelievably strong sense of passion, courage and innovation sparkling through all his work that makes me adore him even more as a designer.

McQueens spring summer collection for this year was revealed earlier this month at Paris Fashion Week; "20,000 leagues under the sea", telling the story of women morphing into creatures of the deep as the seas slowly reclaimed planet earth. The models looked fabulous, flaunting sculpted dresses, with computerised, digitally-enhanced prints of fantastical fish, snakes, praying mantis, moths, beetles and giant squid. Some wore dresses in iridescent tulle with waving 'fronds', suggesting cyber-jellyfish, whilst others gleamed in golden, fish-scale 'armour' like warrior-mermaids. Their hair was teased into foot-high cones or coiled like kelp in tiny plaits, with the 'undersea alien' look completed with prothesis-style 'gills' on each temple.

As an avid follower of Alexander McQueen i was devastated when i heard news of his suicide earlier this year as it meant the end of an era for the fashion industry as we know it. Nevertheless, the spring summer collection was still something i looked forward to seeing, perhaps more so now, as it was to be the last collection he would ever design. As i searched through the endless pictures, comments and backstage gossip supplied by the internet, i fell further in love with his new range. McQueen always finds a way to wow his audience and he has managed it yet again. Through the fabrics, patterns and cuts he has chosen, the models were able to demonstrate a high end, futuristic glamour - something completely new for 2010. This particular collection boasts a fresh excitement that is so rarely successfully achieved these days, but then again, McQueen never was one to disappoint.

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