Alexander McQueen S/S 2008 and S/S 2001: Transformation, Renewal and Rebirth in the wake of Loss

S/S 2008 Headdress by McQueen and Philip Treacy

"First, what must be said: Alexander McQueen's Spring collection was a tribute to the late Isabella Blow, the woman who discovered him, famously propelled his career from a student rack to a couture house, and faithfully wore his clothes—and Philip Treacy's hats—in their most extreme manifestations. Second, though: All terrible emotions apart, McQueen, like every other designer, can only be judged in the unsparing light of the general arena of fashion. To put it bluntly, this collection—after an off season last time—was going to stand or fall based on whether his clothes were any good."

https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2008-ready-to-wear/alexander-mcqueen

S/S 2001 - Butterfly Ensemble by Sarah Burton

"The hundreds of trompe l’oeil wings that veneer the textile ground are composed of meticulously cut, dyed, and painted feathers, applied by hand to emulate the distinctive pattern of the monarch butterfly. The colorful insect, a perennial motif of the house, conjures the promise of transformative renewal."

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/669209

Despite the countless times the house of McQueen has used butterflies preceding, in between and following the above collections, these two instances stand out due to the circumstances under which the collections debuted. Both in the wake of significant losses for the house, in 2008 through Isabella Blow - a long-time supporter of McQueen who massively impacted the launch of his career, and in the second instance through McQueen himself who passed away in 2010, months shy of the collection. I believe that in both instances the butterflies symbolized fragility, in regards to the impact of the losses, a notable characteristic of the butterfly. However, they were also metaphors for the strength in the transformation that would ensue from the act of being reborn and renewed after a death.

RESEARCH: Project 5- Fashion Publication

Confirm copying