Alexander McQueen SS23 Campaign
Amy Pateman gets lost in the new campaign from Sarah Burton
Captured in a series of short films by Jonas Åkerlund, the Alexander McQueen SS23 campaign celebrates the kind of strength and individuality the House is known for with the new 21st Century superheroine.
Set in London and naturally featuring the likes of Naomi Campbell, Sadie Sink, Pom Klementieff, Yseult, METTE and Nyagua, the backdrops are as powerful as the women themselves. From the brutal interior of an underground carpark to the iconic dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, each character is entirely immersed in their own world to become the rulers of their domains. Ultimately, all are united in a formidable and imposing sisterhood.
The campaign pays homage to traditional themes for McQueen by featuring clean, sharp tailoring to accentuate the enchanting beauty and strength of the female form. The colour palette favours bold primary colours with bewitching shades of red, black and blue – reminding us of the femme fatale to be found in all characters.
Embroidery and decorative embellishments provide texture and depth to the imagery, transporting us to brief but iconic moments in time. This motif is carried through to the array of short films that lure us in and leave us with a persistent desire for more. Another motif to the SS23 collection is dissection – with the exposure of tantalizing flashes of naked flesh through deconstructed silhouettes, Sarah Burton invites us on a journey to search for human connection, and find humanity in an otherwise lost and out of touch world.
The juxtaposition between the natural and the constructed feels very present. Modern yet romantic; dark yet beautiful, appealing to the fierce yet vulnerable sides in us all. The creative team successfully transports us to a near-dystopian reality dressed in stark armour-inspired tailoring and slashed fairytale gowns. And just as with those stories, in the Alexander McQueen campaign, the further you explore, the more you discover.
To read our last feature on Alexander McQueen, click here
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