March 9, 2025 |
Mcqueen and Victorian Gothic go together like blood and vampires. For AW25 Sean McGirr brought together inspirations that ranged from Charles Dickens’s Night Walks, (a book about an insomniac character who can’t sleep and wanders around London until dawn then goes to bed) as well as Helmut Berger’s 1973 film The Picture of Dorian Gray – the poster inspired the colour palette and embroideries. It was his strongest collection yet for the house delivering fantastic tailoring, twisted with the kind of dark romance that McQueen fans queue up for.
Musing on dandyism, the designer called it, “the ultimate act of adornment, deeply personal, playful and transgressive. It raises questions of character identity idealism and gender.” McQueen’s modern day dandies stalked a long, galleried room (part of a geological museum), dressed in long, lean coats and Victorian jackets worn with lace, high collared blouses beneath – a look that worked for both men and women. Diaphanous lace gowns were worn with lace tights and seriously pointed witchy ankle boots.
McGirr has proved himself adept at creating memorable red carpet moments. Alongside his wardrobe of covetable tailoring, there was plenty of drama with sheepskins crafted into huge winged white coats and floral brocade fashioned into flaring mini dresses lavished with beading and worn with dramatic neck ruffs. For a final flourish, the designer splashed gold embroidery over capes and leather bombers. Three seasons in and this young designer is growing in confidence and stature.
Photography courtesy of McQueen.
