Sarah Burton invited all members of her design team onto the catwalk after the Alexander McQueen SS20 show

Creative director Sarah Burton denounced the ego by showing that it takes an army to create a fashion collection
1/17
Karen Dacre1 October 2019

At the end of the month of fashion shows dominated by digital influencers and designers with rock star status, Sarah Burton chose to denounce the ego.

Certainly, she chose to remind those attending her show in Paris last night of the army of talented individuals it takes to create a fashion collection, inviting each member of the Alexander McQueen design staff to join her on the catwalk.

The moment, which saw the many talented individuals who bring Burtons’ vision to life shly shuffle across the catwalk during the show's finale, was a poignant way to close an occasion that was all about community.

Backstage Burton pinpointed an embroidered dress, modelled by Stella Tennant, as the embodiment and inspiration for this idea. Explaining that it had been the result of a mass crafting experiment, she said the dress should be credited to staff from right across the company since everyone from the press team to the interns had been involved in its creation. “We set up looms and everybody from the whole McQueen offices had a go at embroidering” she said, “everybody came together to do it.

Stella Tennant
Alexander McQueen

For Burton the process, which began when a group of students came together at a life drawing class in the brand’s London store to create the motif on which the embroidery was based, had ignited an appreciation for quiet contemplation and a sense of togetherness which is lost in the digital age.

“There’s so much noise in the world this was about having a moment to think and be as a studio and all work together on something. It was a calm time to work together and be with our own thoughts” she said.

This idea of connection was central to the show which went on to celebrate crafting communities across the British Isles’s rich textile industry. A collection that was rich in heritage fabrics stood as proof.

Jean Campbell
Alexander McQueen

Floral motifs played an equally significant role with endangered flowers a means to explore the notion of the old world giving way to a new one, and of beauty fading. One hand cut organza dress, which seemed to blossom during its short spell on the runway, was among the most theatrical inclusions. Nods to England’s disappearing flora and fauna also manifested with footwear which featured heels in the shape of blooms.

Scroll through our gallery above for the best looks from the Alexander McQueen SS20 show.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in