Last night’s show, staged at the Conciergerie in Paris, the vaulted chambers where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before being beheaded, and, for those who can remember, the venue for Lee McQueen’s first show in Paris thirteen years ago, where models walked with wolves on leashes, examined the beauty of those roses.
To be Honest, personally that style of zombie creatures is not my passion at all, because I ‘m strongly supporter to Classy & Fabulous images in any aspect of appearance, but judging by the whole stage style, Sarah Burton wanted to add some drama to the scene, making in this way colloquial the collection.
A wilting bouquet was the image featured on last night’s show invitation, photographed by David Sims in 2003. But the way Burton captured a fading rose, in its last days of existence was best executed in a three-dimensional skirt made from layered petals of whisper-weight organza, they formed pillow-y blooms that seemed to wilt even more in motion.
Piled up, 18th Century hair, powdered faces and Miss Havisham tiered lace fishtail gowns that buttoned all the way up to Victorian collars added to the dark romance. This was McQueen at its most feminine, and in many ways, at its very best. Since Burton took the helm, the house has benefitted from a gentler hand, yes, it was still provocative, but without a hint of aggression.There were no hard edges, everything looked frayed, as though it had lived a life – which brings us back to that dying rose again.
It was a triumph, but no time to rest for Burton, Alexander McQueen’s juggernaut retrospective, Savage Beauty opens at the V&A later this week with a black tie gala Thursday night, the day after Paris Fashion Week ends.
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