Alexander McQueen S/S 2010
I always want to like Alexander McQueen more than I do. When he first began generating buzz amongst the fashion press by turning his back to the cameras during interviews, I felt as if I’d never have anything nice to say about the pretentious ass. Then I saw his clothes . . .
He was the real deal, as his time at the helm of Givenchy proved. Even if he wasn’t a commercial juggernaut, he had the skills to make me love what he was doing. Still, with the exception of one show that introduced crack-exposing low-rise pants to the world, he’s barely influenced mainstream fashion at all.
Somewhere between the art of fashion and the commerce of fashion, you need to dig in your heels and show the world exactly what it is you’re selling. I know where Karl Lagerfeld stands. I know where John Galliano stands. I even know where Marc Jacobs stands. Yet I still don’t know where Alexander McQueen stands. He’s like relative unknowns Martin Margiela or Hussein Chalayan as far as his concepts are concerned, but he’s practically a household name, unlike those other “artists.” So why does he have such a difficult time producing anything of genuine commercial viability?
This deep sea-inspired show was exceptionally fabulous to watch. However, the printed short dress that made its way onto several models was too reminiscent of a few previous Balenciaga shows. The outfit in the photo above reminded me of my favorite show last season, Jonathan Saunder’s foray into outer space. When McQueen presented traditionally tailored garments, they had a Jean Paul Gaultier-like slant. And didn’t Gaultier travel to the bottom of the sea just a few seasons back?
Fashion as art is nothing without context, and in the context of the past decade, this show failed miserably. Commercially, I can’t see it going anywhere either. As far as a singular presentation, it was fantastically beautiful. Unfortunately, that just isn’t enough to make me believe it’s going to be a success.
