Alexander McQueen Fall 2011 RTW

I will always remember the first time I saw a McQueen show about 15 years ago. It was his S/S 1997 show, and even looking at it now, I understand why i found it so compelling. I mean, They're walking on water.

Well, on to the next one, I guess. Without the man himself.

The Alexander McQueen Fall Ready to Wear  collection definitely included many trademark McQueen elements, and explored a return to a limited palate. All white black and gray, which was a far cry from the technicolor "Plato's Atlantis", as well as from Lee's last collection of rich golds and reds. One thing that has always stood out to me about this house is that they only do ready to wear, but with the attention to detail and opulence of the Haute Couture kids.
The whole collection felt pretty stiff, really. But that was part of the story, i think. Bondage wear. Royal dresses and feathers. An interesting dichotomy.

 Lots of zippers. High necks. Lots of Necks. Nods to England of Old. And thank God they went with some strange hair clip head wear, because McQueen is notorious(in my mind) for having the fugliest hair styling in the business.

The dresses were really lovely. Although I have to say that some of the most inspiring stuff were the shoes. The shoes at McQueen have been really unbelievable for years, and this was no exception. The boot shown above is so...badass. The way the openings mimic the legs shape, but in an exaggerated way reminds me of the cartoonish impossibility of a design sketch leg.
...

...And if these close ups don't leave you thinking "holy shit those are the most incredible shoes Ive ever seen", then clearly you have some kind of serious mental disturbance.

Overall I'd say it was a strong start for Miss Sarah Burton. My only concern, even though the general consensus has it that Sarah is as much McQueen as McQueen was, is that this brand will become stifled by its own limits. Now that Lee is gone, the struggle to preserve "the look" will be more than suggestion, but a necessity. Whether or not Sarah will be able to invent new things within that box remains to be seen. I think boxes may have been one major contributing factor that led Lee McQueen into his own, quiet one. I'm unsure that I will ever feel moved by McQueen again. I hope I will. RIP, Sir.