Posts tagged Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen Resort 2011
Jul 19th
Sarah Burton showed her first autonomous collection as creative director for Alexander McQueen on Monday, June 21st and – in the words of Tim Blanks, contributing writer for Style.com – “proved she’s the only choice to expand on Lee McQueen’s legacy.”
Burton drew from the rich history of the McQueen archives, but introduced a feminine touch to the collection that informed it with a more delicate sensibility. Lee McQueen’s calling cards were still there – brocades, heavily detailed embroidery, a fascination with the morbid, the juxtaposition of hard and soft and the allure of high-wattage glamour – but she also incorporated a calling card of her own; the fusing of two fabrics into one which the fashion world first saw in the Fall 2010 collection that she completed following McQueen’s untimely death.
All in all, the collection was a success – a true “best-case scenario.” Not only did it show reverence to the history of the label and to its creator, but it also displayed the personality of its new designer. A nod to the past and a glimpse of the future and – I dare say – reason enough for a deep sigh of relief from the fashion world.
Congratulations Sarah Burton!
~ Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Sarah Burton named Creative Director of Alexander McQueen
Jun 14th
Back in February, I reluctantly and sadly blogged about the untimely death of Lee [Alexander] McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand. At the time, the future of the design house was uncertain. Lee was in his prime when he took his own life and the thought of a successor had never crossed anyone’s mind. However, the Gucci Group promised that the label would live on and live on it did.
Sarah Burton
Sarah Burton – McQueen’s right-hand woman for over 14 years and head of womenswear design – completed the Fall2010 collection that he had begun and showed it in a private parlor setting to critical reviews.
So, it came as no surprise that Burton was named creative director on May 27, 2010.
Burton will present her first set of autonomous work as a pre-collection in June and her first full spring collection in Paris in October.
I can truly say that I do not envy her. Not only is she working in the absence of her close friend and mentor, but she is also working in his shadow – a shadow that is very heavy and far-reaching. My thoughts are with her. One can only hope that her connection with McQueen is more than corporeal and that the fashion world is kind to her.
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Spring 2010 Trends Report – Part 3
Mar 22nd
For the third and final installment of our spring 2010 Trends Report, we would like to focus on the fabric trends of spring 2010.
Spring Leather - Spring 2010
Spring Leather
One of the most popular fabrics for spring is most definitely leather. Generally a fabric reserved for the fall and winter, leather took a spin on the runways in the form of shorts, tee-shirts, dresses and skirts – garments not traditionally cut from this material – and found itself dyed to pale neutrals in order to be spring-ready. Spring leather showed up on the models at Costume National, Alexander Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Chloe and Celine, just to name a few.
Craftsmanship
When not working in leather, designers chose to manipulate their fabrics as only true craftsmen can. They draped, pleated, burned, ripped, braided, shredded, ruffled and printed computer-generated designs on fabrics both standard and out-of-the-ordinary. Rodarte, Lanvin, Burberry Prorsum, Alexander McQueen and Comme des Garcons created some of the most beautiful examples of this outstanding craftsmanship.
We hope that you all enjoyed our first Spring Trends Report! Hopefully it made the incredible variety of looks that stomped down the Spring 2010 runways seem more organized and wearable. We do plan to blog about each season’s trends in a similar fashion in the future, so check back in with us the next time that a trip to Style.com has your head spinning….
In the meantime, happy shopping!
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
Craftsmanship - Spring 2010
The Alexander McQueen brand will live on.
Feb 19th
Robert Polet – president and chief executive officer for Gucci Group, the parent company to McQueen’s brand – announced that although McQueen “is irreplaceable,” they “believe in the future of the brand” and that “a continuation of the business would be the best testimony to his talent.”
Announcements were also made that the fall McQueen show would be presented during Paris Fashion Week. However, it will not be presented in true McQueen style. Instead of the theatrical displays that McQueen was known for, the collection will be shown by invitation only in a private salon format at an undisclosed location on March 9 and 10.
What wasn’t announced – or even hinted at – was who McQueen’s predecessor would be. Those in the know speculate that Sarah Burton, McQueen’s long time women’s wear design partner, is in the running, but the Gucci Group has remained quiet on the topic.
Although the future of the brand seems so much brighter than a week ago, it is clear that more uncertainty lies ahead. Fans can only hope that in the six months before the Spring 2011 shows debut, the Gucci Group can find answers to all of the lingering questions. ~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second Time Around
R.I.P. Alexander McQueen
Feb 12th
Alexander McQueen
The fashion world lost one of its brightest stars on February 11, 2010. Alexander McQueen took his own life, reportedly inconsolable following the death of his mother.
He was – without a doubt – one of the most talented designers of his generation; a true master of runway fantasy. His designs were loved and worn religiously by celebrities and fashion plates alike and influenced the styles of the masses who could not afford to purchase his impeccably constructed and tailored garments. Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue, summed it up best: “His passing marks an insurmountable loss.”
Alexander McQueen & Sarah Jessica Parker, 2006
His death comes at a time when he seemed at the top of his game. His Spring 2010 collection was an incredible success. The computer-generated prints, futuristic silhouettes and gravity-defying footwear explored new fashion frontiers.
Also, his models were accompanied by two robotic cameras that filmed their stomp down the runway, intending to stream his show live to the internet. (Unfortunately, the site was not able to handle the high level of traffic and crashed).
Now, just days before Paris Fashion Week and one month before he was scheduled to show his new collection, the future of the Alexander McQueen brand is uncertain. In short, no one can replace McQueen and it seems doubtful that anyone can even come close to replicating his fashion genius.
However, McQueen recently expressed his desire for his legacy to live on in what now seems like a rather chilling statement: “I want this to be a company that lives way beyond me…when I’m dead; hopefully this house will still be going. On a spaceship. Hopping up and down above earth.”
RIP Alexander McQueen. Your fans hope that your fashion house is able to successfully respect your wishes.
~Marisa, Director of Styling, Second TIme Around