History and heritage weaves were the inspiration behind sought-after international label Alexander McQueen’s SS16 collection at the Paris Fashion Show.
The brand’s creative director Sarah Burton paid homage to the craftsmanship of the Huguenots, the persecuted French Protestant sect that fled France in the late 17th century and settled in Spitalfields, London. Many of them were silk weavers and made Spitalfields a stronghold of the silk industry.
Burton brought out the beauty in a line that was dominated by dainty florals on shredded silk and jacquard. Flowers were the focus, as the Huguenots came to London with bulbs and seeds in their pockets, planting them to grow gardens.
The McQueen collection also included embroidered leather and French lace. The long, lean dresses, some with deep necklines, were mostly in pastel tones. The accent was on femininity.
Though the creations travelled back in time to highlight a significant chapter in European history, the cuts and fits gave it a contemporary edge.
