A Study of Clothing and Character: See Alexander McQueen’s New Collection

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Alexander McQueen Pre-Autumn/Winter 2021
Alexander McQueen Pre-Autumn/Winter 2021Courtesy of Alexander McQueen

The house reveals its Pre-Autumn/Winter 2021 collection, which sees a continued focus on silhouette

In the wake of the release of the 20th anniversary issue of AnOther Magazine, which saw Craig McDean and Katie Shillingford join forces to capture Sarah Burton’s Spring/Summer 2021 womenswear collection for Alexander McQueen, the house has revealed its latest collection, for Pre-Autumn/Winter 2021.

Presented via a lookbook and short film, the collection, according to McQueen, represents a “continued focus on silhouette. Saturated colour, papercut prints and hybrids. A study of clothing and of character: portraits.” Here, black, white and contrasting shades of grey are punctuated by flashes of red, pink, chrome green, powder blue and ultramarine, which lend the collection a sense of optimism. Meanwhile sharp tailoring is contrasted by a certain softness – gathered channels, like fluting, and exploded shoulders, skirts and sleeves.

As well as contrasting muted and saturated colour, sharp and soft silhouettes, the collection merges the old and new, tradition and innovation – as is typical of Burton’s output. It is also underpinned with an emphasis on craft and craftsmanship.

“I always have the feeling that clothes should be timeless and, if they’re beautifully made, stripped to the bare bones and essential, that will hopefully be the case,” said the designer of her approach to fashion, speaking in the new issue of AnOther. “It’s also nice to look at the insides of clothes, which are often as beautiful as the outsides, and at how to make clothes feel relevant for today. How do we make clothes that are more considerate to the wearer, more emotionally resonant?”