Even with the painful memory of SS09 still fresh on my mind, little could temper my enthusiasm for an Alexander McQueen show inspired by Jack the Ripper. The runway was ashen gray path lined with Victorian streetlamps. What walked down that aisle is a true show, something lacking so far in Milan. McQueen presents beautiful suits in black, grey wool, a variety of checks with narrow shoulders and slim fitted trousers.
There were great seperates; fantastic shirts in stripes and plaid. One might want one of each waistcoat shown in plaid, gray, and muted checks, but also fawn over the leather version, and a vest transitioning, like Jekyll into Hyde, into a jacket and then into a cape. The knitwear has its own story: Robe-length cable knit sweaters, one slick waxed sweater, some tattered shawl collar cardigans fastened with leather weave a story of security gained by brute force. The shoes and boots are gorgeous. Several monkstraps were shown in black and antiqued leather. The boot with twenty plus eyelets is seductive. Tying all the looks together is a wide range of homburgs in every earthy color with pinched crowns.
It was a show that had a lot to say about the violence of male power fantasy. McQueen explores the erotic violence even to the point of being crass (brocades symbolized both blood and semen), the butchery of western pioneerism, and sportsmanship (as a craven eyed boxer arrived midshow). Through this morose, yet decadent, meditation McQueen proves that producing an appealing and wearable menswear show can also be provocative and fun, and that's a tradition worth revisiting.
Images via The Fashion Spot
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4 comments:
I am amazed. There goes my money for 2010! Thanks for sharing!
Sina: I hear the poorhouse is not so bad this year. After this showing I'm booking a room.
This is absolutely far better than the SS09 collection...
It involves a lot of well tailored pieces but also has that amount of provocation which is just soooo good!
Just brilliant, and easily my favourite from Milan.
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