IF I had to describe the Alexander McQueen woman I would say she embodies strength. Season after season, this woman evolves but the strength remains threaded into the seams of every garment from the British luxury fashion house.
’For the AW20 collection, Creative Director Sarah Burton wanted to write a love letter in the form of a collection to the women that surround her.
AW20: Masha Vasyukova
“The woman is courageous, grounded, bold: heroic” explains Burton on the FW20 McQueen woman, “There is a sense of protection in the clothes, of safety and comfort, evoked through quilting and blankets.” A trip to Wales was the starting gun for inspiration behind the detailing, colours and theme of the collection – the surrounding heritage, folklore and craft seen in this country became the moodboard this season.
In particular, while visiting the St Fagans National Museum of History in Amgueddfa Cymru, the tailor’s quilt, that was hand-stitched over the course of a decade from 1842 by James Williams using over 4,500 patches.
Traditionally, Welsh quilts were made from the scraps from fabric sample books in mills, suits and even army uniform. With fashion arguably being a zeitgeist, there is no better example than Welsh quilts that are records of history.
Photograph: Chloe Le Drezen
For the FW20 collection, Burton showcased two quilt inspired looks that mixed the Welsh inspiration with the McQueen tailoring. The first look was a single-breasted jacket and straight leg trouser suit made from black, grey, lilac and ivory excess stock of wools and military flannels from previous seasons found unused.
Photograph: Adama Jalloh
Photograph: Chloe Le Drezen
Additionally, in true McQueen style, animal motifs were infused into the suit with doves, a panther and a horse hand stitched into the patchwork design.
Photograph: Adama Jalloh
Photograph: Chloe Le Drezen
The second quilt look was a single-breasted coat with a swallow tail adding to the drama of the piece. This time the patchwork was made from red, damson, ivory, grey and black upcycled materials in the McQueen workshops.
by Imogen Clark