It seems the whole world sat in the front row with baited breath. I'm sure you could almost hear the ticking of a Cartier watch, the tapping of a red Louboutin heel, or the crinkle of an editor's notebook. A thousand questions surged through my mind when, less than 24 hours after the show in Paris, I loaded the Alexander McQueen page on Style.com here in Hong Kong.
Where was the label going? Would the new-comer Sarah Burton live up to the McQueen expectations? Would the editors-at-large like the collection? Would Burton fail to impress the carnivorous fashion kingdom?
Well, no. She wouldn't. In fact, you could say Burton-who really is not a new-comer at all- designed the best collection of Paris Fashion week. Miraculously, she created a collection that not only paid homage to the late Lee McQueen, but that also surrendered to a slightly softer, more feminine demeanor.
Sarah Burton, who worked closely with McQueen throughout his designing career, clearly showed she was capable of taking over the label with her spring/summer collection. Similar to McQueen collections in the past, this collection clearly had an animalistic and nature-like vibe. However Burton softened the pieces with angelic feathers, warm sepia-toned ruffles, and an overall light palette.
Perhaps what shocked me most was the minute details of the collection- from the ripped-open shoulder padding, to the stunning butterflies creeping up the neck of a model.
This McQueen collection is certainly one to remember, and I think if Alexander McQueen himself was alive to today, he would have been proud of Sarah Burton's skillful work.
