Report by DAVID HAYES
Photography by Anna Bauer
“I wanted a show that defined the McQ woman and the world she lives in,” said Sarah Burton, swigging back a glass of bubbly backstage, after her triumphant catwalk outing last night (above).
And, boy, what a woman and what a world. Staged in a magical forest with real trees and a leaf-strewn catwalk, models stomped out to the deep bass of a techno beat, just like in the good old, bad old days of Alexander McQueen himself. The belted, full-skirted military coats, the tartan dresses, the embroidered tulle and blood-red velvets were all McQueen signatures, reworked with finesse and a lot of attitude. All it needed was Kristen McMenamy to perform a scene-stealing finale turn involving a spotlight, falling leaves and a long piece of string. Amazing.
“I didn’t want it to feel like a second line,” said Burton. “Just because it’s a cheaper price point doesn’t mean you can’t have a special coat or a beautifully cut jacket. You buy clothes because you love them and you want have them.”
