Alexander McQueen presented a tiny but lavish redux of British history, weaving decadently between Elizabethan, Victorian, and modern fashions, always with the glory of the British Empire in mind. The collection opened with a fine white broderie anglaise (a patriotic choice in comparison to more extravagant and customary Belgian or French lace) overlaying a tiered white organza dress with leg-of-mutton sleeves, both of which were fashionable in the 1830s when a young Queen Victoria ascended the English throne.
One look, featuring panes of pear-embellished, pleated leather, recalled the severity of banishment-to-the-tower by King Henry VIII, while another reminded us of the Duchess of Windsor's devil-may-care scandal and infamous love of clothes. It then rewound to Queen Elizabeth's reign, with farthingales draped with gold-lattice-embroidered silk chiffon, and a heavily embroidered pearl and gold beaded corset/gorget, topped off with a frothy fraise ruff — again, made with broderie anglaise, edged with white pearls. The last two ostrich feather looks felt like an homage to Kate Moss en route to a party, or something straight out of a Cecil Beaton fashion sitting.
All of these subtle cues to Britain's thrilling, majestic, and racy past made our head spin with inspiring imagery that we had to put into a mood board. Click on to see all the many majestic moods found on Alexander McQueen's fall runway.
Click here to see the complete Alexander McQueen fall 2013 collection.
Read more posts by Veronica Misako Gledhill
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