Alexander McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2023 men’s pre-collection reconstructs and subverts classic tailoring, and features vibrant solarised flower prints that distil a celestial peacefulness
There are few things more calming than gazing up at the ethereal night sky far, far away – the feeling of witnessing something greater than oneself is a universal balm. For Alexander McQueen’s new Autumn/Winter 2023 men’s pre-collection, the cosmos is grounded in spectacular, vivid colour – reformed and combined into flower prints – in an ode to the enchantment of nature.
Creative director Sarah Burton’s vision for menswear is one of thoughtful precision. Carrying forth a legacy left by Alexander McQueen of sharp subversion, of fragility and a sense of danger, the new collection demonstrates a highly emotional method of design. Presented in February, the Autumn/Winter 2023 menswear collection, with its expert tailoring, marked a sharp return to the roots of McQueen – it was on Savile Row where the eponymous designer cut his teeth in pattern cutting and tailoring. In the latest collection, a classic suit is pulled taut to the body over the chest, structured over the shoulder, flaunting the traditionally masculine form, while elsewhere tailoring is sliced and dissected, reconstructed with details from leather biker jackets, adding further rebellious meaning to the formal wardrobe. An interpretation of the tailcoat is sensually carved out to reveal bare skin at the hips, with oversized peaked lapels that widen from deep at the naval. The effect is a powerfully seductive reimagining of traditional restraint.
Clusters of dazzling crystal embroidery evoke a celestial abyss – a further demonstration of the house’s ongoing fascination with nature. Projecting floral accents into a solarised sky through trompe l’oeil, Burton distils a numinous quality that combines astral and earthly environments. Elsewhere, minimal utility wear is equally desirable, welcoming substantially pocketed shirting, perforated leather bomber jackets, and durable textiles like cavalry twills and technical satins. Much like the night sky, and the presence of our beguiling natural world, the collection is a timeless offering, cutting through to the beating heart and to the very meaning of the British fashion house.
In an exclusive video by Ebba Hult, the latest collection is seen in captivating motion. Watch the film above.
