Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2012

To begin my research i started researching designers who had used similar ideas in their own collections, one of these designers was Alexander McQueen S/S  2012 collection by Sarah Burton.Burton is a British Designer and Creative Director of the McQueen label, born in 1974 and studied Print Fashion at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. She graduated in 1997. and perused her career in fashion by joining McQueen's team as an intern in 1996.

This particular collection was inspired by  the undersea world, making women the predator. a similar concept to my own of the undersea life. below are a few of my favourite piece from the collection.

  

         

The collection is a showcase of exquisite craftsmanship in a spectrum of nudes, corals, pinks, golds, and lilacs on waisted silhouettes juxtaposed with exaggerated empire and trapeze lines. Circular cut dresses and skirts,contoured jackets are moulded to the body, Embellished shoulders and stiff peplums, while narrow skirts either flared and frilled at the knee, or dropped down to the floor in feathery drama, while others peel away to reveal caged leather corsetry beneath.

The Embellishment is increasingly elaborate reflecting the many textures of the undersea world. every surface covered in either Panelling, pleating, ruching, waterfall ruffles and frills and Laser cut patent leather and hammered metal harnessing. all adorned with Silk, lace, pearl and metal-encrusted embroideries degrade in places and in others appear almost to grow on the body, creeping from hemline to head.
The materials are also a textural selection, including gathered light chiffon, lace sheaths juxtaposed with smooth, slick leather, and ample amounts of gradient beading, feathers, and embroidery.

"I was thinking about a woman as an object of desire. We go to such lengths to adorn ourselves that we almost become our clothes or are taken over by them. This is a collection about excess - an exploration of ideals of beauty at their most extreme.” Sarah Burton - sourced from WWW.AlexanderMcQueen.co.UK

I found the entire collection inspiring however this particular piece i found really interesting.

The piece is shown modelled on the catwalk which is clinically white to keep the focus on the model and garment. the piece is a nude or light pink  in colour made up of laser cut details and layers of ruffling and frills in light weight fabrics, all adorned with heavy beading and embellishing. the piece has a soft and calm, serene feel that gives the viewer a sense of the tranquillity of the undersea life, i feel this is what the designer was trying to capture in the colours and movement of the piece, the soft movements of the swaying undersea creatures. this quality of fluid soft movement particularly interest me and how it is achieved by the fabric choices.

The piece is constructed of Light Chiffon's, lace, beading and embroidery. with laser cut detailing to the bust, flowing into layers of light chiffon around the waist and then into a heavily embroidered sheath of lace and again further fuller chiffon layering to form the skirt. all on a close fitting silhouette.

This piece would've required  knowledge and skill of intricate beading and how to combine difficult fabrics to create a polished finished garment. skills in laser cutting to flatter the form, advanced methods of pattern cutting to create the desired shape and knowledge of how to cut the fabrics to achieve the most movement.

 The colour palette is restricted to two tones in light pink, complementary to each other and the design, which is created from consistent use of shape from fitted areas to more free flowing chiffon sections, which also form part of the textural details as well as intricate beading throughout the design, forming a unified yet visually interesting piece.

This piece really inspires me as a designer as it has a similar concept to my own and shows how another designer as taken and interpreted ideas such as movement, colour, shape of the undersea life into there own collection, and the techniques and materials used to achieve the desired effect.

this piece and all the collection inspire me to experiment with shape and materials similar to those used in this collection for my own design to achieve my goals of capturing the elements like fluid movement of the marine life in the movement of the garment.

i feel this collection is valued in the fashion world as it is not only by well known fashion label McQueen but  is also a work of great beauty and craftsmanship which can inspire others. it sets the standard of great pieces of work and skills for the next generation.

this collection will inspire me greatly in the design stages, trying different fabrics and techniques to achieve details in the garment that were inspired by aspects of the marine life.