The Alexander McQueen show is known for darkly beautiful drama, but for Fall 2012, designer Sarah Burton lightened the mood with a slew of feathery dresses and separates that nearly floated down the runway. Metallic, bow-bedecked belts cinched the waists of embellished frocks and coats, and large visors covered all of the models' eyes on the catwalk, giving the show an otherwordly feel. Watch the entire Alexander McQueen show right here, and be sure to read our editors' full review here.
All gorgeous iterations of volume and texture, Sarah Burton gives us a new slant on Alexander McQueen's futuristic sense with femininity and optimism for Fall 2012. She tapped right into girlish fantasy from the very beginning and saw it all the way through in pinks, fuchsia, floral-embellishment, and the most extreme proportions of fluff and fur. There may be less of the provocative, darker sense that McQueen's later collections were made of, but that's not to say that Burton doesn't impress with her own artistry. The shapely play and construction are a testament to Burton's expertise. Floral-embellishments feel like full rosebushes on voluminous tiers, feathers and fringe move like beautiful sea creatures, and sculptural laser-cut looks have the delicacy of porcelain. In every piece, Burton tells her story — romantic, yes, but not tinged in nostalgia; with mirrored visors on, McQueen's girl is still looking toward the future.
>> For Fall 2012, all the gorgeous, classic McQueen-isms were in place — hoof-like shoes, nipped-waists coats, drama to the umpth degree — but this season, Sarah Burton injected much more of her own viewpoint into the mix. It came in the form of lightness, volume, and shining optimism. Silhouettes were lush, round, and frothy, with mirror-like details and masses of floral appliqué. Dresses were done in blush-hued tiers of ruffles, coats were capped by whisper-light tufts of ivory fur, and skirts were covered in intricate doily laces. "It’s futurism with softness, not cold futurism," Burton explained.
With a collection as magical as this, Burton's future is so bright she might want to wear shades. Maybe that explains the giant, super-dark visors covering each model's face.
