Fashion
Five standout looks from Alexander McQueen's SS22 runway
Chasing storms and the high heavensFrom the depths of the sea for autumn/winter 2021, Alexander McQueen took to the skies for its spring/summer 2022 womenswear collection. And the staging for the show in London — the brand’s first return to the runway and its first showing in London in years — reflected the theme. The show space was conceptualised by architect Smiljan Radic and constructed atop the Tobacco Docks Yellow Park in Wapping, East London.
Essentially, the runway show was contained within a clear dome that afforded unobstructed views of everything around the vicinity, and most importantly, the sky. It was a clear day in East London. For all that Alexander McQueen is known for, drama is definitely one of them and I did wish that storm clouds rung overhead instead just to underscore the different elements of sky and clouds apparent in the spring/summer 2022 collection.
Creative director Sarah Burton likened the Alexander McQueen woman for the season to a “storm chaser”. In the collection notes, Burton poetically describes the collection as follows: “Storm-chasing is not only about the beauty of the views but also a sense of mystery and excitement — about embracing the fact that we can’t ever be sure of what might happen next. To give up control and be directly in touch with the unpredictable is to be part of nature, to see and feel it at its most intense — to be at one with a world that is bigger and more powerful than we are.” If that isn’t relevant to our state of being right now, I don’t know what is.
That’s exactly what we got with the collection. There were the extravagantly done exploded sleeves that have become quite a signature of the brand for a few seasons now, as well as the constant tussle between soft femininity and edgy ruggedness. What was unexpected in the collection, was the overall sense of lightness apparent in a lot of the looks while still retaining drama in the form of sculptural silhouettes and couture-level fabrications.
And those prints of cloud-filled skies in varying hues (at times, they resembled tie-dye prints) they’re actually shot from the rooftops of the Alexander McQueen studio. It’s true what they say, beauty is all around us. And for Alexander McQueen’s case, you only need to look up.
What: A printed off-the-shoulder dress supplemented with gathered godet detailling.
Why: Sure, the exploded sleeves were evident statements on the runway but the ease and quiet of this dress exuded such reverence for the theme at hand. And the print too, worked exceptionally well with all the gathered elements thrown in.
What: A pale blue corset dress fitted with a parachute skirt.
Why: The sculpting in the skirt alone is just breathtaking. I love that it was done completely devoid of any print or embellishment because there was just so much beautiful tension in the construction alone. Stunning.
What: Zip details reign supreme in this outfit consisting of a parachute-sleeved blouse and peg-legged trousers.
Why: This should be your new go-to update of the quintessential white shirt and black trousers pairing; no question about it.
What: A jersey T-shirt dress with cutouts and embroidered from top to bottom.
Why: This looked exceptional walking down the runway and captured vividly the haphazard splatter of rain hitting anything in its course. The dégradé effect in this is so sublime too.
What: A reworked tuxedo jacket slashed at the shoulders and waist and topped off with crystal emboirdery.
Why: The show ended with a slate of crystal embellished looks and this one stood out for the contrast and especially that entire leg’s worth of embellishments. Zendaya, I’m expecting you to kill it with this look sometime next week for wherever you’re going off to next.
Scroll the gallery above for the full Alexander McQueen spring/summer 2022 womenswear collection.
