The dreamy romanticism infused in each of Sarah Burton’s collections for Alexander McQueen was never more prominent than for fall/winter 2016. Burton’s magical creative universe took shape in flowy, feminine dress and lacey, lingerie details, counterbalanced by sculptural leather looks and masterful tailoring techniques. The show opened with pronounced references to surrealism, from embroidered patches displaying old-fashioned pocket watches and butterflies, to flowers and Man Ray-esque lips, these objective odes to the imaginative art movement of the early 20th century also existed as prints on feminine sheer gowns and dresses with exposed shoulders. The collection’s perfectly tailored black and cream tuxedo jackets and structural, cropped motorcycle looks were decorated with antiqued charms and chains, while standout eveningwear was presented in the latter ten looks of the show. Each sheer evening gown stood as a blank canvas for a spattering of bejeweled fairytale-like imagery, some finished off with equally embellished capes, others with embroidered duvet jackets. The collection was a progression of imagination and craftsmanship, all seen through the brilliant eyes of Sarah Burton.
References
- 1
- 2
Salvador Dali
The Persistence of Memory, 1931
Nadja Auermann at John Galliano
Spring/Summer 1997
Piero Fornasetti and Gio Ponti
Corner Cabinet with Reverse-Painted Glass Doors, 1941
Man Ray
Observatory Time: The Lovers, 1936
Eileen Gray
'Dragons' Armchair, 1917-1919
Henry van de Velde
The School of Arts and Crafts, 1904-11, Weimar, Germany
Jules Leleu
Cabinet
Carlo Mollino
The ‘Venus’ Mirror at Casa Miller, 1936
Clement Rousseau
Chair, 1925
Damien Hirst
Gold Summer, 2008-09
Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali
Suit Embroidered with Lips and "Shoe" Hat, Fall/Winter 1937
Givenchy
Fall/Winter 2008
Herbert Bayer
Lonely Metropolitan, 1932
Jean Dubuffet
Portrait of Jean Paulhan, 1955
Jean Cocteau
Le Testament d'Orphée, Horse, 1959
Man Ray
Marchesa Casati, 1935
Joseph Cornell
Parrot for Juan Gris, 1953
Karl Koepping
Set of six delicate blown glass cordials
References
Salvador Dali
The Persistence of Memory, 1931
1 of 18
Nadja Auermann at John Galliano
Spring/Summer 1997
2 of 18
Piero Fornasetti and Gio Ponti
Corner Cabinet with Reverse-Painted Glass Doors, 1941
3 of 18
Man Ray
Observatory Time: The Lovers, 1936
4 of 18
Eileen Gray
'Dragons' Armchair, 1917-1919
5 of 18
Henry van de Velde
The School of Arts and Crafts, 1904-11, Weimar, Germany
6 of 18
Jules Leleu
Cabinet
7 of 18
Carlo Mollino
The ‘Venus’ Mirror at Casa Miller, 1936
8 of 18
Clement Rousseau
Chair, 1925
9 of 18
Damien Hirst
Gold Summer, 2008-09
10 of 18
Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali
Suit Embroidered with Lips and "Shoe" Hat, Fall/Winter 1937
11 of 18
Givenchy
Fall/Winter 2008
12 of 18
Herbert Bayer
Lonely Metropolitan, 1932
13 of 18
Jean Dubuffet
Portrait of Jean Paulhan, 1955
14 of 18
Jean Cocteau
Le Testament d'Orphée, Horse, 1959
15 of 18
Man Ray
Marchesa Casati, 1935
16 of 18
Joseph Cornell
Parrot for Juan Gris, 1953
17 of 18
