McQueen's Paris Show: Fatalistic Glamour Amid Brand Struggles
Beneath the glittering surface of Paris fashion week, with Chappell Roan shining in the front row and champagne flowing backstage, dark undercurrents swirled at the Alexander McQueen show. The iconic fashion house has experienced a staggering 60% decline in turnover over the past three years, casting a shadow over its latest presentation. Workforce reductions were implemented at the London headquarters last year, and approximately a third of the brand's 180 employees in Italy are reportedly at risk of losing their jobs. Fifteen years after the death of founder Lee McQueen, the label is grappling to sustain its momentum in an increasingly competitive market.
Legacy and Modern Challenges
Lee McQueen remains a hallowed name in the fashion industry, one of the few modern designers whose character and narrative resonate deeply with the wider public. However, the generation that once embraced McQueen's original bumster trousers has aged out of shock-value fashion, and the brand's influence over younger consumers has waned. This shift presents a significant challenge as the house navigates its future.
Perhaps adversity suits McQueen, a brand that has always leaned into a fatalistic kind of glamour. Seán McGirr, the 37-year-old Dubliner who assumed the role of creative director in 2023, delivered one of his strongest collections to date. The show opened with a herringbone jacket that was just long enough—if barely—to pass as a dress. Strictly buttoned through the waist, it dissolved into soft waves that skimmed the upper thigh, creating a striking silhouette. Backstage, McGirr revealed that he drew inspiration from archive pieces of McQueen's 20-year-old Widows of Culloden collection, a masterpiece of controlled emotion.
Design Elements and Inspirations
A corset-boned white lace dress was elegantly topped with a shoulder cape of glimmering feathers, meticulously hand-embroidered in silk—a nod to changing times since the 1990s, when such embellishments might have been plucked from birds. While last season's show featured a literal revival of the bumster trouser, this collection introduced harness-lashed trousers with a subtle dip at the centre of the spine. This design created a heart-shaped frame around the base, a detail Lee McQueen once described as "the most erotic part of anyone's body."
Models showcased long lashes, pointed nails, and tonged curls, embodying a glamour reminiscent of young women on nights out in cities worldwide. This approach contrasted with the avant-garde painted faces and artfully distressed spiky strands often seen on catwalks, lending the show an immediacy and relevancy that can sometimes be lost in a house with such revered archives. "It was important to me that the girls looked like they dressed themselves," McGirr explained. "I'm inspired by London girls. West End girls, I guess, with a bit of Camden as well." The pert miniskirts and knee-high boots added another layer of British fashion history, paying homage to Mary Quant's iconic styles.
Thematic Depth and Contemporary Relevance
Every McQueen show requires a touch of psychodrama, and McGirr delved into the curated nature of modern identity. "We're really 'on' all the time, you know? We're constantly performing. It feels like there's some kind of psychological disruption going on there, and I wanted to look at that. There is paranoia, and perfectionism, and performance," he reflected. This thematic exploration resonated throughout the collection, blending fatalistic glamour with contemporary anxieties.
Despite the brand's financial struggles and workforce challenges, McGirr's vision offered a compelling narrative of resilience and reinvention. The collection seamlessly integrated historical references with modern sensibilities, showcasing McQueen's enduring ability to captivate audiences. As the fashion world watches, the house continues to navigate its legacy while striving for relevance in a rapidly evolving industry.
