Alexander McQueen was a major fixture in the British fashion scene up until his tragic death two years ago. Now Sarah Burton has taken the fashion crown from HRH McQueen and never before has the brand been so alive.
It is common knowledge that the McQueen brand hasn't held any form of show in London for about ten years and their diffusion line, McQ, which was founded in 2006, has never been shown at all. That is until now. Sarah Burton is driving the McQueen brand kicking and screaming into a new era, having hosted for the first time ever a London Fashion Week show, presenting the AW12, McQ collection.
The collection itself was miles away from anything offered previously from the diffusion line. Dresses that looked as if they had been made from the purest gossamer threads, embroidered with thick, botanical prints were paraded down the catwalk along with monochrome woollen dresses and 'Vamp-ish' red lace dresses. It was definitely a stellar McQ show that harked back to the McQueen heritage whilst still appealing to a wider, more conventional audience.
Of course this is a major fashion achievement and something which has caused a flurry of excitement to sweep through the fashion crowd, but what really caught my attention was the intricate hairstyles designed by Guido Palau. McQueen has been a constant source of inspiration for hairdressers worldwide and the McQ show did not disappoint. Compared with the fashion shows Guido and I worked on during NYFW where effortlessly chic glamour was on the agenda, the McQ show presented a strong, structural look that was styled with precision.
The main look of the show and no doubt the most talked about look of the show (pictured above) was inspired by a 1940's hair roll with Guido exaggerating this technique to create an Avant Garde, high fashion appearance. The model's own hair is swept upwards and then rolled around a giant hair doughnut to create the rounded, disc appearance. It is a long and slightly painful process (for the model anyway) but it is one that is used time and time again in the world of hairdressing.
What are your thoughts on this collection? Did you like the presentation and highly stylised hair or are you just happy to see McQueen return to Britain after so long?
It is common knowledge that the McQueen brand hasn't held any form of show in London for about ten years and their diffusion line, McQ, which was founded in 2006, has never been shown at all. That is until now. Sarah Burton is driving the McQueen brand kicking and screaming into a new era, having hosted for the first time ever a London Fashion Week show, presenting the AW12, McQ collection.
The collection itself was miles away from anything offered previously from the diffusion line. Dresses that looked as if they had been made from the purest gossamer threads, embroidered with thick, botanical prints were paraded down the catwalk along with monochrome woollen dresses and 'Vamp-ish' red lace dresses. It was definitely a stellar McQ show that harked back to the McQueen heritage whilst still appealing to a wider, more conventional audience.
Of course this is a major fashion achievement and something which has caused a flurry of excitement to sweep through the fashion crowd, but what really caught my attention was the intricate hairstyles designed by Guido Palau. McQueen has been a constant source of inspiration for hairdressers worldwide and the McQ show did not disappoint. Compared with the fashion shows Guido and I worked on during NYFW where effortlessly chic glamour was on the agenda, the McQ show presented a strong, structural look that was styled with precision.
The main look of the show and no doubt the most talked about look of the show (pictured above) was inspired by a 1940's hair roll with Guido exaggerating this technique to create an Avant Garde, high fashion appearance. The model's own hair is swept upwards and then rolled around a giant hair doughnut to create the rounded, disc appearance. It is a long and slightly painful process (for the model anyway) but it is one that is used time and time again in the world of hairdressing.
What are your thoughts on this collection? Did you like the presentation and highly stylised hair or are you just happy to see McQueen return to Britain after so long?
