Frock coat from graduation collection, Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims (1992)
Dress that appears to be made of golden feathers, with high collar and long sleeves
Dress from unfinished final collection Angels and Demons (Autumn/Winter 2010)

British designer Alexander McQueen designed 36 womenswear collections under his eponymous fashion label during a career that lasted from 1992 until his death in 2010.[1][lower-alpha 1] As a designer, McQueen was known for sharp tailoring, historicism, and imaginative designs that often verged into the controversial.[4] His runway shows were known for being dramatic and theatrical, with some including elements of performance art.[5][6] McQueen drew inspiration for his clothing and shows from a broad range of sources, including film, history, nature, world religions, art, and his own life.[12] Through his work, he explored themes such as romanticism, sexuality, and death.[13][14]

He used unusual cuts and silhouettes to play with the human form, making wearers appear inhuman.[15] Early in his career, he originated an extreme low-rise trouser cut called the "bumster", which became a brand signature.[16] Other significant designs include the skull scarf, another brand signature, and the armadillo shoe, often worn by singer Lady Gaga.[17][18]

Womenswear was the focus of McQueen's career. In his early collections, he sometimes presented menswear or had male models walk in the shows, but his label did not have a regular menswear line until 2004.[19][20] From 1996 to October 2001, McQueen was also – in addition to his responsibilities for his own label – head designer at French fashion house Givenchy, for which he produced both haute couture and ready-to-wear collections each season.[21][8] This article concerns itself with McQueen's own-label womenswear collections.

Collections

List of collections
Collection Season Show date Show location Themes and inspiration Notes
Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims 1992 graduation collection 16 March 1992[22][23] Duke of York's Headquarters, London[lower-alpha 2][22][23] London serial killer Jack the Ripper and prostitution in the Victorian era, particularly their practice of selling locks of hair[28][29] Thesis collection for Master's degree in fashion at Central Saint Martins; purchased in its entirety by editor Isabella Blow[23]
Taxi Driver Autumn/Winter 1993 March 1993[23] The Ritz Hotel, London[23] Taxi Driver, a 1976 neo-noir film by Martin Scorsese; to a lesser extent McQueen's taxi driver father[30][31] Debut of bumster trousers; exhibited rather than shown on runway;[lower-alpha 3] no pieces survive as entire collection was accidentally lost immediately following the exhibit[32][16]
Nihilism Spring/Summer 1994 18 October 1993[33] Bluebird Garage, London[33] Eclectic collection with no straightforward theme, general pushback against trend for womenswear to be soft and feminine[34][35] First professional catwalk show[35]
Banshee Autumn/Winter 1994 26 February 1994[36] Café de Paris, London[2] The Gaelic banshee, a spirit whose wailing foretells death; romanticised survival through tragedy[36] Isabella Blow walked in the show[36]
The Birds Spring/Summer 1995 10 September 1994[37] Bagley's warehouse, London[37] The Birds, a 1963 natural horror film by Alfred Hitchcock; ornithology; the mathematical designs of graphic artist M. C. Escher[38] Corsetier Mr Pearl walked as McQueen's first male model; first McQueen show styled by long-time collaborator Katy England[37]
Highland Rape Autumn/Winter 1995 13 March 1995[33] Natural History Museum, London[33] English violence towards Scotland, especially the Jacobite risings and the Highland Clearances[39] First critically-significant collection, led to 1996 hiring by Givenchy[39]
The Hunger Spring/Summer 1996 23 October 1995[33] Natural History Museum, London[33] The Hunger, a 1983 erotic horror film featuring vampires[40] First time McQueen showed menswear; first show produced by Sam Gainsbury, who would produce every subsequent show[40]
Dante Autumn/Winter 1996 1 March 1996[41] Christ Church, Spitalfields, London[41] Religion and warfare; named for Dante's Inferno, a 14th-century epic poem describing Hell[40] First appearance of English supermodel Kate Moss in a McQueen show[40]
Bellmer La Poupee Spring/Summer 1997 27 September 1996[41] Royal Horticultural Hall, London[41] Poupée, a 1934 series by surrealist photographer Hans Bellmer, which presented deconstructed dolls as a commentary on Nazi ideals[19] First show worked by Sarah Burton, who became McQueen's right-hand woman; Black model Debra Shaw walked while shackled to a metal frame, generating controversy[19]
It's a Jungle Out There Autumn/Winter 1997 27 February 1997[41] Borough Market, London[41] Life cycle of the Thomson's gazelle; savagery of the fashion industry; paintings by the Old Masters[19] Set accidentally caught fire during the show[19]
Untitled Spring/Summer 1998 28 September 1997[42] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[42] Transformation and metamorphosis; human-animal hybridisation; John Galliano collection "Forgotten Innocents" (Spring/Summer 1986)[43][44] Originally titled The Golden Shower in reference to the sex act and retitled after objections from sponsor American Express[43]
Joan Autumn/Winter 1998 25 February 1998[42] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[42] Martyrdom and persecution in the medieval era, especially that of French folk heroine and saint Joan of Arc[43] McQueen was photographed for The Face magazine in April 1998 in hair and makeup similar to that used in this show[45]
No. 13 Spring/Summer 1999 27 September 1997[42] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[42] Arts and Crafts movement of the 1880s to 1920s; finale inspired by Rebecca Horn installation High Moon (1991)[46] Show ended with model Shalom Harlow being spray-painted by robots[46]
The Overlook Autumn/Winter 1999 23 February 1999[47] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[47] The Shining, a 1980 psychological horror film by Stanley Kubrick, particularly its winter setting[46] First attendance of Vogue editor Anna Wintour at a McQueen show[48]
Eye Spring/Summer 2000 16 September 1999[49] Pier 94, New York City[47] Islamic culture and clothing, especially the burqa; relationship of Western world to Middle East[50] First time presenting outside of London[50]
Eshu Autumn/Winter 2000 15 February 2000[50] Gainsborough Studios, London[50][51] Named for Yoruba deity Eshu; African-inspired primitivism with elements of Victorian fashion[50] Anti-fur activists broke into the venue before the show and vandalised the set, necessitating a police response[52]
Voss Spring/Summer 2001 26 September 2000[53] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[53] Staged as a voyeuristic look inside a stereotypical insane asylum; dresses of unusual materials like seashells and microscope slides[53] Finale showpiece presented author Michelle Olley nude, masked, and covered with live moths, in a recreation of Sanitarium (1983), a photograph by Joel-Peter Witkin[53]
What A Merry-Go-Round Autumn/Winter 2001 21 February 2001[47] Gatliff Road Warehouse, London[47] Dark underside of carnivals and circuses; Child Catcher villain from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)[53] Final presentation at Gatliff Road; first appearance of skull print that is now a signature of the brand[53]
The Dance of the Twisted Bull Spring/Summer 2002 6 October 2001[54] Stade Français sports club, Paris[54] Spanish culture, especially bullfighting and flamenco dancing[55] First collection after selling label to Gucci Group; first McQueen collection shown in Paris[55]
Supercalifragilistic-expialidocious Autumn/Winter 2002 9 March 2002[54] La Conciergerie, Paris[54] Films of American director Tim Burton, especially Sleepy Hollow (1990); English school uniforms; photography of Helmut Lang[55][56] Lighting and invitation by film director Tim Burton[57][58]
Irere Spring/Summer 2003 5 October 2002[54] Grande halle de la Villette, Paris[54] Three-phase narrative: shipwrecked pirates, drowned maidens in black, and birds of paradise[59] Debut of the "oyster dress", a riff on a 1987 design by John Galliano called the "shellfish dress"[60][61]
Scanners Autumn/Winter 2003 8 March 2003[62] Grande halle de la Villette, Paris[62] Journey eastward through the clothing of northern Eurasia: Siberia and the Russian Far East, Tibet, and Japan[59][63] Clear plastic wind tunnel was suspended over the runway for some models to walk through[64]
Deliverance Spring/Summer 2004 10 October 2003[62] Salle Wagram, Paris[62] Depression-era fashion, expressed as dance performance based on 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?[65] Choreography by dancer Les Child; McQueen's usual severe tailoring was dropped to enable the models to dance[66]
Pantheon ad Lucem Autumn/Winter 2004 5 March 2004[62] Grande halle de la Villette, Paris[62] Ancient Greek draped garments; science fiction films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)[65] Entire title often incorrectly translated as Latin for "Towards the Light"; this is the correct translation for "ad lucem" but neglects to account for "pantheon"[65]
It's Only a Game Spring/Summer 2005 8 October 2004[67] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[67] Contrast of fashion cultures played out as chess-like game inspired by giant chess scene from film of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)[68] Chess game choreographed by dancer Les Child[69]
The Man Who Knew Too Much Autumn/Winter 2005 4 March 2005[67] Lycée Carnot, Paris[67] 1950s fashion, particularly as seen in the Alfred Hitchcock thriller The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)[68] Show invite based on theatrical poster for Hitchcock's film Vertigo (1958); first McQueen handbag, named for actress Kim Novak, who frequently appeared in Hitchcock films[68]
Neptune Spring/Summer 2006 7 October 2005[70] Imprimerie Nationale, Paris[70] 1980s fashion, including power dressing, hard glamour, and body conscious designs[71] All models were at least 5'11" in reference to the 1980s trend for Amazonian supermodels[72]
The Widows of Culloden Autumn/Winter 2006 3 March 2006[70] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[70] Second examination of English violence towards Scotland in more mature and melancholy terms; centres the widows of the Battle of Culloden (1746)[71] Show closed with an illusion of Kate Moss as an apparition within a glass pyramid at the centre of the stage[71]
Sarabande Spring/Summer 2007 6 October 2006[70] Cirque d'hiver, Paris[70] Exploration of fragility and decaying grandeur through floral motifs[73] One dress was covered with fresh flowers, which began to fall off on the runway in a moment of serendipitous beauty[74][75]
In Memory of Elizabeth Howe, Salem, 1692 Autumn/Winter 2007 2 March 2007[76] Le Zénith Arena, Paris[76] Religious persecution conducted by Puritans in 17th century; ancient Egyptian religion; occult symbolism[73] Final McQueen show styled by Katy England[73]
La Dame Bleue Spring/Summer 2008 5 October 2007[76] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[76] Reinvention through fashion; avian and butterfly motifs; personal style of Isabella Blow[77][78] Collaboration with Philip Treacy to memorialise their mutual friend Isabella Blow, who committed suicide in 2007[77]
The Girl Who Lived in the Tree Autumn/Winter 2008 28 February 2008[79] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[76] Fairy tale narrative about a girl who lived in a tree; British culture and national symbols; clothing of India during the British Raj[77] Philip Treacy created a single headpiece for the collection: an enormous peacock with fanned tail, made from driftwood and sea fan coral[80]
Natural Dis-tinction Un-natural Selection Spring/Summer 2009 3 October 2008[81] Le Centquatre, Paris[81] Beauty of nature contrasted with the impact of human industry[82] First of final three collections which shared a theme of the destruction of nature by humanity[83]
The Horn of Plenty Autumn/Winter 2009 10 March 2009[81] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[81] Dark satire of the fashion industry with pastiches of notable designers and McQueen's past works; many items made to resemble trash[82] Dedicated to McQueen's mother[82]
Plato's Atlantis Spring/Summer 2010 6 October 2009[81] Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris[81] Human evolution following global flooding as a result of climate change[17] Final fully-realised collection; first livestreamed fashion show in history; debut of the armadillo shoe; debut of Lady Gaga single "Bad Romance"[17][84]
Angels & Demons Autumn/Winter 2010 10 March 2010[17] Hôtel de Clermont-Tonnerre, Paris[17] Religious paintings of the Medieval and Renaissance periods[17] Collection left incomplete at the time of McQueen's suicide in February 2010, completed posthumously by his assistant Sarah Burton; title is unofficial[17]

Notes

  1. ↑ McQueen's first collection, Jack The Ripper Stalks His Victims, was produced as his graduation thesis for his Master's degree from Central Saint Martins rather than for commercial sale, and some authors do not count it when numbering McQueen's collections.[2][3]
  2. ↑ Some sources provide a date of July 1992 and list the venue as the Olympia London in Kensington.[24][25] It is unclear where this originated from, but it appears to be erroneous, as London Fashion Week in 1992 was held in March, and Central Saint Martins holds its graduation shows at Fashion Week.[26][27]
  3. ↑ Because of a slumping economy, few designers presented runway shows during London Fashion Week 1993. The British Fashion Council provided funding for six new designers, including McQueen, to exhibit their collections at The Ritz in lieu of runway shows.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Wilson 2015, pp. 5, 350–351.
  2. 1 2 Watt 2012, p. 69.
  3. ↑ Thomas 2015, p. 122.
  4. ↑ Vaidyanathan, Rajini (12 February 2010). "Six ways Alexander McQueen changed fashion". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
  5. 1 2 Gleason 2012, p. 10.
  6. ↑ Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 13.
  7. ↑ Manning, Emily (21 January 2016). "An Alexander McQueen Biopic is in the Works". i-D. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Alexander McQueen – an introduction". Victoria and Albert Museum. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Nature and Organic Materials". The Museum of Savage Beauty. Victoria and Albert Museum. Archived from the original on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  10. ↑ Bolton 2018, p. 274.
  11. ↑ Gerakiti, Errika (16 November 2022). "The Majestic Art of Alexander McQueen". DailyArt Magazine. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  12. ↑ [7][8][9][10][11]
  13. ↑ Bolton 2011, pp. 13–14.
  14. ↑ Hernandez Briseño, Alma (17 May 2020). "La Poupee and Voss: Alexander McQueen's Heterotopias". The Fashion Studies Journal. Archived from the original on 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. ↑ Barajas, Joshua (4 September 2015). "How Alexander McQueen's grotesque creations wrecked the runway". PBS NewsHour. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  16. 1 2 Thomas 2015, pp. 106, 115.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bethune 2015, p. 321.
  18. ↑ Rasmussen, Tom (12 June 2018). "Alexander McQueen: an illustrated history of the iconic British fashion designer". Financial Review. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Bethune 2015, p. 308.
  20. ↑ Watt 2012, pp. 87, 213.
  21. ↑ Wilson 2015, pp. 173–174, 255.
  22. 1 2 Thomas 2015, p. 87.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Bethune 2015, p. 304.
  24. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 39.
  25. ↑ Callahan 2014, p. 28.
  26. ↑ Morris, Bernadine (17 March 1992). "Review/Fashion; British Face Reality With Flair". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  27. ↑ Davis, Johnny (7 February 2010). "The fashion stars of Central Saint Martins". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  28. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 84.
  29. ↑ Thomas 2015, p. 86.
  30. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 100.
  31. ↑ Thomas 2015, p. 106.
  32. ↑ Wilson 2015, pp. 102–103.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 338.
  34. ↑ Watt 2012, pp. 61–62.
  35. 1 2 Gleason 2012, p. 19.
  36. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 305.
  37. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 306.
  38. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 74.
  39. 1 2 Wilson 2015, pp. 137–138.
  40. 1 2 3 4 Bethune 2015, p. 307.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 339.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 340.
  43. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 309.
  44. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 145.
  45. ↑ Watt 2012, pp. 149–150.
  46. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 310.
  47. 1 2 3 4 5 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 341.
  48. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 155.
  49. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 237.
  50. 1 2 3 4 5 Bethune 2015, p. 311.
  51. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 222.
  52. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 165.
  53. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bethune 2015, p. 312.
  54. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 342.
  55. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 313.
  56. ↑ Mower, Sarah (9 March 2002). "Alexander McQueen Fall 2002 Ready-to-Wear Collection". Vogue. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  57. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 190.
  58. ↑ Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 128.
  59. 1 2 Bethune 2015, p. 314.
  60. ↑ Thomas 2015, pp. 56, 275, 338.
  61. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 230.
  62. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 343.
  63. ↑ Yee, Hannah-Rose (19 May 2022). "A breathtaking Alexander McQueen exhibition is coming to the NGV this year". Vogue Australia. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  64. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 198.
  65. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 315.
  66. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 205.
  67. 1 2 3 4 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 344.
  68. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 316.
  69. ↑ Watt 2012, p. 222.
  70. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 345.
  71. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 317.
  72. ↑ Gleason 2012, p. 141.
  73. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 318.
  74. ↑ Bowles 2014, p. 176.
  75. ↑ Deniau 2012, p. 23.
  76. 1 2 3 4 5 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 346.
  77. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 319.
  78. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 287.
  79. ↑ "Encyclopedia of Collections: The Girl Who Lived in the Tree". The Museum of Savage Beauty. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  80. ↑ Thomas 2015, p. 345.
  81. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fairer & Wilcox 2016, p. 347.
  82. 1 2 3 Bethune 2015, p. 320.
  83. ↑ Thomas 2015, p. 252.
  84. ↑ Wilson 2015, p. 303.

Bibliography

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