Sarah Burton

It's only his second collection for McQ Alexander McQueen, but Alistair Carr has long since hit his stride. His use of the Prince of Wales check is a spot-on trend, but he infused the McQueen aesthetic by applying it to motorcycle jackets and suits covered in the screen-printed stripes of a tiger.

That idea — letting the codes of the the company's more expensive label inform what goes on in its secondary collection — seems to be guiding Carr's work. The nipped-in waist and wide, metallic belts Sarah Burton has been showing in the main collections appeared here, too, most notably on a wide-sleeved sweater dress and in a black-and-red double-breasted coat.

If you're only going to send 10 looks down the runway, as Sarah Burton did for Alexander McQueen's Fall 2013 show, those looks had better be something spectacular.

Sarah Burton said it all in just 10 exquisite looks for Alexander McQueen's Fall 2013. Ten breathtaking and bold nods to Elizabethan-era drama that we'll wait anxiously to see on the red carpet. This is not the stuff of Kate Middleton's wardrobe — the slim-cut pencil skirts and peplum-trimmed military jackets — it's a tour de force of the most intricate and beautifully crafted kind. White dresses were covered in pearls and decked in frothy white feathered sleeves and collars. Black high-collared, corseted confections, finished with caged legwear and delicate face masks were so awe-inspiring you hardly even noticed Karlie Kloss underneath all the detail. There was complexity in every look, and not just in the measure of materials (organza, lace, feathers, studding, netting, leather). It was all at once ethereal, powerful, regal, and incredibly beautiful. Burton makes crafting something otherworldly entirely possible; the bigger task is finding a real-life event worthy of wearing her work.

Sarah Burton's Pre-Fall 2013 collection for Alexander McQueen draws on nuns' habits and the kind of garments usually reserved for the highest-ranking clergy in the Catholic Church. Most of the looks are rendered in black and white, but not everything about this offering is austere and puritanical. A few evening ensembles have plunging necklines, and the hem of one dress stops mid-thigh. A high-heeled take on the pilgrim shoe and an emphasis on capes add to the religious drama here, but none of that is as dramatic as the final look: a gray cape with an overlay of white flowers.

Photos courtesy of Alexander McQueen.

Designers have found inspiration in stranger places than beehives, the contents of which gave Sarah Burton a direction for the Alexander McQueen Spring 2013 collection.

There were references to bees all over these clothes, from the beekeeper's hats the models wore down the runway to the honeycomb shaped lace Burton applied to those hats and a number of pieces in the collection. A number of garments — dresses, shirts, and jackets included — demonstrated a clever use of the wasp waist. When could it be more appropriate to revive this McQueen trope than in a collection inspired by bees?

Yes, the inspiration here came across literally, but the clothing certainly didn't suffer for it. Even the black and gold color palette that dominated the show came off as charming rather than thematic, especially in several suits made from a honeycomb jacquard. The final gowns here were dramatic as always, many of them accented by hoopskirts that were either layered on top or barely hidden by sheer fabrics or cloth flowers.

Sarah Burton's Spring '13 collection for Alexander McQueen was quite literally buzzing with excitement. With models decked out in elaborate honeycomb beekeeper hats, Burton created a truly masterful collection, inspired by Alberto Vargas's pinup images, filled with dramatic hoopskirts, ornate detailing, and some of the most inventive looks we've seen yet. It was a dramatic entrance as the show opened up with cropped honeycomb trousers paired with a gold peplum jacquard blazer — accessorized with gorgeous amber-hued jewelry reminiscent of bee nectar. More sweetness followed suit highlighting fit-and-flare skirts, resin bustiers, structured mesh tops, and hot shorts all featuring Burton's bee theme. Watching the collection go down the aisle was like studying art, further exemplified by Burton's impressive array of evening wear. Corset minidresses were paired up with netted thigh-high boots, billowy off-shoulder renditions revealed a honeycomb bodice underneath, and the grand finale, a showstopping array of red, yellow, and black crinoline gowns, simply took our breath away. Indeed, there's no question that Paris saved the best for last.

• Trends: Jacquard, statement prints, shine, full skirts, structured silhouettes.
• Colors: Gold, black, yellow, red, cream, dark green, amber.
• Key Piece: If we had to choose, we'd go with the most wearable look; the honeycomb pants and gold peplum jacquard blazer combo was amazing.
• Accessories: Modern honeycomb hats, bee-embellished cuffs, necklaces, and belts, shimmery ankle-wrap strapped shoes with honeycomb mesh detailing, patent honeycomb satchels, thigh-high honeycomb mesh boots, corset belts.
• Who Should Wear It: Ladies looking to add a lot of drama on the red carpet like Lady Gaga and Elizabeth Banks.