PPR, Alexander McQueen’s parent company, has indicated through the past weeks that business would continue on without its founder and creative director. Always one of the highlights of Paris Fashion Week McQueen was scheduled to show this week... however given the situation the company decided to forgo a formal runway show and instead have a private showing of the collection which took place Tuesday. The final showpieces, which were created by McQueen just weeks before he took his own life, were presented in a salon at the headquarters of luxury titan Francois Pinault. The soundtrack for the show consisted of haunting operatic and classical music that McQueen had been listening to as he created and fitted the 2010 fall/winter collection. The presentation itself was obviously quite solemn.
In his final presentation McQueen continued to experiment and express extreme creativity. The elaborate creations were a combination of old-world romanticism and modern technology. Models walked with golden feather Mohawks and wore sandals on their feet that were wreathed in gilded roses. The garments were incredibly elaborate. Many of the pieces had digitally captured works of art which had been weaved right into the fabrics. The collection is indeed extraordinary... here is a look at a few of my favourite pieces:
Reportedly tears were spotted in the eyes of some viewers as the elaborate finale dress entered: an incredible coat of gold feathers that ended in a froth of embroidered tulle. (
below right)
The collection is truly memorable. The end of the show notes for McQueen’s final collection read: “Each piece is unique, as was he.”
Such a true statement. R.I.P. (Lee) Alexander McQueen.
“People always ask if I think about a concept or the show or the front row or whatever first. No! F**k off! The client comes first! The collection is driven by what clients want in different parts of the world, so I want them to be able to see it straight away and to judge it for themselves. Well I just think that which celebrities are wearing it, what reviews say—none of it matters if it’s all there for people to make their own minds up. I’m 40 now, but I want this to be a company that lives way beyond me, and I believe that customers are more important to making that happen than press. When I’m dead, hopefully this house will still be going. On a spaceship. Hopping up and down above the earth.” -Alexander McQueen in
Love Spring/Summer 2010 Issue (Photos courtesy of: Getty Image Entertainment)
I adore these designs! The first two are my favourite, Alexander McQueen was a brilliant designer. Missed but not forgotten because of his many incredible designs like these.
Posted by: Jessica_S | 08/24/2010 at 06:07 PM
Absolutely love the first and last pieces! Its all incredible though. Great detail.
Posted by: Denise | 03/12/2010 at 05:04 PM
well if i designed these i think i would do myself in as well
Posted by: Willie | 03/12/2010 at 04:34 PM
I agree with the comment way above, this so called fashion is crap, it's ugly...very ugly, a waist of time and a waist of so called art work. Oh and the hair design is crap as well....they look like a bunch of freaks!!! So this McQueen guy comminted suicide, gee I wonder why?
Posted by: Laura9 | 03/12/2010 at 04:24 PM
beautiful.. he will be sadly missed. if you go to his web site and view the whole collection you'll see even more amazing dresses
Posted by: krystal | 03/12/2010 at 03:12 PM
Wow! Absolutely stunning.
Posted by: Sidrah | 03/12/2010 at 02:48 PM
So emotional.
Posted by: knj | 03/12/2010 at 02:22 PM
The designs are awesome . . . . but
The models look dead - as though they have been embalmed.
Not a nice look - for a great collection
Posted by: Barbara Dale | 03/12/2010 at 01:06 PM
If fashion is not always about wearing the clothes....then what is the point in wearing or making clothes that no one wears....seems kinda stupid if you ask me. And it does not matter what my living room carpet looks like, the fact is these are stupid pointless clothing designs, they are not practical nor do they serve a purpose in any daily activity that requires them to be worn....other than posting these pictures on the internet.
Posted by: Dinga | 03/12/2010 at 12:17 PM
The collection is so beautiful, everything we have come to expect from McQueen. I read that all these pieces were finished and fitted prior to McQueen's death. That is why I feel the collection of 15 pieces are just a few of the pieces the full collection would have had. But I have to say they are so elegant.
Posted by: Fashion Relish | 03/12/2010 at 12:15 PM
Brilliant, art is a wonderful thing.
Posted by: Lilly | 03/12/2010 at 08:24 AM
it's very sollemn...funerary...beautiful, sad, as if these clothes were to be worn at the most classic of funerals, deep winter colours, and theatrical drama...very much unlike the collections he has done before...I love him so much...
Posted by: zanzi | 03/12/2010 at 02:55 AM
Wow! A true artistic wonder! Such beautiful, unique and exceptional designs. I believe that he was already beyond our world, before he tragically left us . . . speechless . . .
Posted by: Bri | 03/12/2010 at 01:18 AM
i would wear his clothing and feel like a queen!!
Posted by: anonymous | 03/12/2010 at 01:03 AM
A fantasy, that I would like to weare it, and I am 67 years old.
Posted by: Katarina | 03/12/2010 at 12:47 AM
I can see myself surrounded by water fountains in the light blue gown with the whisp of blue surrounding the bottom of the dress, I found the whole collection "ROMANTIC".
You don't have to be a starving model/walking stick to wear this collection!
Posted by: Mary E Guerin | 03/12/2010 at 12:25 AM
He continues his life through his amazing design left for us to admire.
Posted by: Travis-Layne | 03/11/2010 at 10:53 PM
I'm calling the Police - I finally know who stole my Gramma's bathrobe and basement curtains!
Posted by: bionic rooster | 03/11/2010 at 10:51 PM
Stunning.
Posted by: Wilson | 03/11/2010 at 10:45 PM
House Atreides...absolutely.
The collection is spectacular, especially the burgundy and gold, and the white one.
Posted by: robyn | 03/11/2010 at 08:47 PM
Stunning, & absolutely breathtaking. I can see the fashion industry has suffered a loss of real genius in A. McQueen's untimely death.
JL
Posted by: Jessica Loft | 03/11/2010 at 08:06 PM
this is absolutely incredible. was always a fan of his amazing work. you will be missed and definitely cannot be replaced!
Posted by: spaddy | 03/11/2010 at 07:46 PM
So beautiful! It's a shame he's gone, he will always be missed.
Posted by: Hailz | 03/11/2010 at 07:29 PM
This collection is fantastic! It's so sad he's gone...he was such a genius in fashion
Posted by: Dahlia | 03/11/2010 at 06:59 PM
fantastic collection! very beautiful!!!! very sexy!!
very blessed witness a great ones last work!
Posted by: Jai | 03/11/2010 at 06:38 PM
fantastic design. but the photography is horrible.
Posted by: nyier | 03/11/2010 at 04:52 PM
Remember movie Dune? Has a sense of it in that it could have been a show at the house Atreides. Very nice.
Posted by: bob | 03/11/2010 at 04:03 PM
Dinga: fashion isn't always about if YOU could wear it. I would be honoured to even touch the digital art woven into those fabrics, let alone wear them. And i bet your carpets are not that nice!
Fashion Lady: I love the look of the models. I think it brings your eye to the outfits even more than if they were worn by plain old normal looking models. And doesn't that express the old-romanticism that he was inspired by?
If you're going to hate it, hate it for good reasons. If I had places to go I would buy that gold feathered coat and tulle skirt.
Posted by: Jasmine | 03/11/2010 at 03:44 PM
I can't say I would wear any of it... but I will agree with Chris and most of the comments above.
WOW. INCREDIBLE!
Posted by: Sonia | 03/11/2010 at 03:38 PM
These are truly Ugly!!!!...there is nothing nice about wearing a piece of living room carpet.
Posted by: Dinga | 03/11/2010 at 01:39 PM
Finally, something different! I agree with all the comments written before me. It is fantastic, I hope other designers will be influenced by this wonderful collection.
Posted by: Dew | 03/11/2010 at 01:19 PM
I don't really follow fashion, but wow!! These pieces are seriously amazing!!
Posted by: Janis | 03/11/2010 at 01:01 PM
Ummm...why do the models look like corpses? I think that is rather insulting. I miss you McQueen. Your collection is beautiful.
Posted by: fashionlady | 03/11/2010 at 12:38 PM
Absolutely stunning.. I still can't believe he's gone.. :(
Posted by: shakesmcbeth | 03/10/2010 at 11:27 PM
Wow.
I have to say that the collection is strangely beautiful. It's so fascinating. I just keep looking at the pictures.
The quote is haunting.
Posted by: Brenda | 03/10/2010 at 04:28 PM