Sarah Burton challenges our ideas of womenswear with “exploring perspectives” A/W show

Step into the world of perspectives again with Alexander McQueen this Autumn and Winter. Sarah Burton, Creative Director of Alexander McQueen, received the loudest applause after any show this season, and I was, of course, contributing to that applause. Burton and McQueen were long-time colleagues. After McQueen's death in 2010, Burton was named the Creative Director of Alexander McQueen; however, she had been designing women's wear for the brand since 2000. You may be familiar with her work, as she is also the creative genius behind Catherine Middleton's dress we all dreamed of wearing for our wedding one day.

For the first time in three years, this morning in Paris, Burton showcased more "show-style" pieces, which many critics have been missing from her as they felt her past collections were starting to be repetitive. Contrary to other shows this season, Burton leaned into a deconstructed tailoring style that manipulates the shapes of women's bodies, often making the shoulders look broader and more masculine. This is why the show is entitled "exploring perspective," as it challenges our ideas of typical women's wear.

A majority of looks from the show consisted of well-tailored blazer dresses and suit sets, yet also included knit dresses and lots of showstopping beaded, glittery gowns- of which I need them all. These beaded gowns were all hand sewn by the McQueen atelier in Paris and took my breath away.

Like Glenn Martins, the Creative Director for Diesel, Burton doesn't want to see your shoes this Autumn and Winter. Models walked down the runway sporting loose-fitting suit pants that were connected to their shoes and revealed no evidence of a shoe until I saw the 4-inch heel poking out the bottom of the pant.

The show was opened by the one and only Naomi Campbell, who wore a sleek, all-black, well-tailored suit set that hugged her figure perfectly. It set a precedent for the looks to follow, accompanied by large in-charge statement rings and earrings. The silver and gold accessories furthered Burton's idea of exploring perspective and were art-like pieces that looked like melted and deconstructed metals. Models only wore one long, statement earring with their looks and sleek back hairstyles such as braids or ponytails that added to the idea of manipulating the look of the face.

Like MM6 Maison Margiela, Burton has declared this Autumn and Winter will be monochrome and dark. Looks today came in black, dark red, dark purple, gray, and the occasional white suit. Materials ranged from knit cotton, denim, wool, and leather. There was an all-purple leather look that I needed, and of course, it was big and boxy, and, as many other designers have already declared, that look is in for this season.

Many Alexander McQueen shows are known for being outrageous and controversial, like his Spring/Summer 2001 show entitled "Voss." The show featured models like Kate Moss walking around a one-way glass box portraying various mental disorders. The show concluded with the walls of a smaller glass box that was center stage crashing to the ground, revealing a nude Michelle Olley reclining on a chair covered in moths. The only thing the British writer and journalist was wearing was a mask attached to breathing tubes. Though it was never confirmed, many thought this show was McQueen's comment on how mental illness is treated by policymakers.

McQueen is also famously known for his bias-cut of flannel suits which manipulate the female figure, as cutting along the bias allows the fabric more stretch to hug the body's shape better. Burton has seemingly paid homage to McQueen's older designs with this collection, and I loved it.

For years the Alexander McQueen brand has encouraged us to explore what we know about "typical" fashion for men and women. The brand is known for being showstopping, and that legacy has continued with Sarah Burton. Alexander McQueen A/W 23, "Exploring Perspectives" by Sarah Burton, challenges our ideas of women's wear and fully makes McQueen's name proud.

Strike out,

Ali Tarnowsky

Boca Raton