THERE has always been a quiet conviction in who the McQueen client is. It’s evident in their affinity to history, their draw to fortified silhouettes and their ability to find solace on the outskirts. For Seán McGirr’s third collection for the British House, it seems he has also finally found his place in this steeped universe.
Upon his appointment, he was keen to begin his tenure with a sharp focus on London – the stomping ground of the brand and the city where it started. For autumn-winter 2025, he made a point of looking through the streets at night, the film poster of Helmut Berger’s 1973 The Picture of Dorian Grey, and drawing from Charles Dickens’ Night Walks for literary evidence. The book follows the author’s time as an insomniac and how he cured himself by walking around the capital at night, stumbling upon the different types of debauchery. The combination of the two drew parallels with dandyism.
“To me, dandyism is the ultimate act of adornment; deeply personal, playful and transgressive,” explains the designer. “It raises questions of character and identity, idealism and gender. I wanted to explore the enduring relevance of the dandy’s radical spirit in our modern world”.
Naturally borrowing from this sub-culture, looking at the queer nature of Oscar Wilde and Vesta Tilley, and then looking within McQueen, the result was a collection abundant with truisms that reflected its customer.
Finally, taking full advantage of the tailors in their ateliers, McGirr showcased an array of suits that danced the line between Savile Row’s sharp precision and the Victorian aesthetic – think pinched shoulders, pleated collars, sucked-in waists and floor-length cape extensions.
Shirts were presented with layers of ruffles made from chiffon that purposely exposed raw edges; black chantilly lace crawled up the neck of tight necks and found its way to the face for a gothic effect; and Philip Treacy designed slanted, angular sombreros for dramatic effect.
As the collection unfolded, it exposed a permeating tension between spectacle and concealment. Crystalline masks made by Matthew Empringham and Frederic Coomes screamed McQueen as they were paired with decadent jacquards of sunflowers. Transparent silk georgette dresses in crimson and iced lilac whispered femininity into the season. Still, the heavy and bold tufted shearling cropped jackets that they were worn with, immediately added attitude to the softer unveilings.
Finishing with a parade of decadent royal looks, knee-length white ermine in heraldry fur coats, Elizabethan ruff necks on short dresses, and a colour palette of black punctuated with goldwork – made from bullion and metal sequins taken from the archive – made a sweeping statement of confidence.
Despite the many hesitations about McGirr over the past year, AW25 presented a masterful blend of seasons past with the dark type of romance that McQueen is synonymous with. It was rich with inspiration, wearability and that mystery you need from clothes to make them exciting.
by Imogen Clark