Nostalgic Adieu From Sarah Burton in Alexander McQueen Paris Collection
A nostalgic adieu from Sarah Burton in her final show as creative director at Alexander McQueen in the brand’s Paris Collection.
Last month, Burton announced her decision to part ways as the creative director of Alexander McQueen. With nearly three decades with McQueen, Burton decided to embody everything Lee Alexander McQueen. She nurtured her predecessor’s wish for woman empowerment and birthed a fantastical final show.
Sarah Burton's #McQueenAnatomy II collection is inspired by female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I. Exploring tailored silhouettes, focussing on cut and proportion with corset detailing, rounded and sliced shoulders.
— Alexander McQueen (@McQueen) October 2, 2023
Discover more from the #McQueenSS24 show: https://t.co/4DRSJKAIxN pic.twitter.com/B4KmXt94df
Karolina wears a #McQueenSS24 ivory tulle dress with silver metal thread, facetted glass bead and stone female anatomy embroidery.
— Alexander McQueen (@McQueen) October 3, 2023
Discover more from #McQueenAnatomy II: https://t.co/4DRSJKAaIf pic.twitter.com/WRo8y9ZMNd
Additionally, a press release from Alexander McQueen revealed Burton’s inspiration for her final show. “This collection is inspired by female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I, the blood red rose and Magdalena Abakanowicz, a transgressive and powerfully creative artist who refused ever to compromise her vision.”
“The show is dedicated to the memory of Lee Alexander McQueen, whose wish was always to empower women, and to the passion, talent and loyalty of my team,” she continued.
.@KaiaGerber wears a black tailored dress with sliced shoulders, a slashed bodice, boning detail and a blood red laced spine at the #McQueenSS24 show.
— Alexander McQueen (@McQueen) October 1, 2023
Watch #McQueenAnatomy II: https://t.co/4DRSJKAaIf #AlexanderMcQueen pic.twitter.com/nW3kOm0l0C
“It was the most heartfelt of moments for the most emotional brand in modern fashion,” states Jess Cartner-Morley from The Guardian.
Celebrities attending the show wore previous Alexander McQueen pieces to honor Burton’s transcendent innovations and his desires for the brand. “Actor Elle Fanning chose a dress from Burton’s bee-themed spring/summer 2013 collection, with a latticework honeycomb-structure full skirt and a matching bee-encrusted choker,” states Cartner-Morley.
Furthermore, the show consisted of structured pieces favorably fitted to the female form. “Tailoring was harness-tight or anatomically detailed, with breast cups articulated onto jackets,” states Cartner-Morley. The designs were inspired to carry out Lee’s dreams of empowering women.
Silk tulle in gold and silver draped to mimic tight chains projected power and opulence. Breast cups sewn into the sharp silhouettes of the suits emphasized the feminine feature brilliantly. Dramatic dresses flourished in large, bold ruffles, imitating the petals of a fully bloomed rose. These were just many of the outfits that graced the fashion show.
It was as if McQueen himself spent hours by Burton’s side, intuitively creating the designs as they made their way from paper to production.
Burton’s dramatic tribute to Lee McQueen explores the incomprehensible world of fashion in the most edgy, fairytale-esque way. Though this may be the last time her designs strut down the runway for Alexander McQueen, there is no doubt this will be the most memorable show of Burton’s we ever see.
Read Jess Cartner-Morley’s article from The Guardian to learn more about Sara Burton’s final show in Paris.
