Alexander McQueen A/H 2008

MAGIC! McQUEEN = MAGIC! Time and time again, Alexander McQueen puts out beautiful, inspirational, intricate, perfectly-formed garments which have strong shapes, a strong theme and, notably, a strong lead on most other designers.

When I saw this collection, first of all in photo-form and then in video, I was blown away. McQueen can always be called upon to create something new and different - it's so refreshing! For Autumn/Winter 2008/2009 he has presented a monarchy-influenced collection which references Great Britain, India, both Queen Elizabeths, gothic splendour, the Victorian and Edwardian eras, the (British) punk movement, and crisp tailoring (Savile Row, perhaps?). It is certainly a GB-heavy collection. One would be forgiven for thinking this array of inspiration-points would produce a disconnected collection but, in fact, the opposite has occurred.

For me, the pushing of boundaries on all sides is what fashion should be about. I love the fact that - for McQueen, at least - the future of fashion doesn't have to exclude our wonderful sartorial past. Indeed, McQueen's empire-line dresses remind me of Austen but his modern take on the fabrics and cut used (see Heloise) take this dress to a new level, without losing that original elegance. He has done a similar thing with Victorian-style dresses, lifting the hemline and simplifying the shape of the skirt. He is to be applauded by one and all for such vision.

I am entirely enamored by this collection!

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Pics: Style.com