As a result of the pandemic and the need to socially distance, brands have had to rethink how to showcase their new collections. Alexander McQueen responded to this necessity by collaborating with filmmaker Jonathan Glazer to present their womens’ SS21 and mens’ Pre-AW21 looks in the film ‘First Light.’ For McQueen, this film also marks the first time the men and womens collections are shown together.
Sarah Burton described the concept behind the collection: “Shape, silhouette and volume, the beauty of the bare bones of clothing stripped back to its essence – a world charged with emotion and human connection.” Glazer, who directed brooding dramas Under the Skin and The Fall with was the perfect choice to actualise this world. The film has the tagline “Back to London, coming home” and we see the capital in a striking and peculiar light. Women in tulle and chantilly lace dresses walk through the Thames and play in the mud as London seems to pulsate with bass and synth sounds. Glazer’s London speaks to the city we have experienced this year in its emptiness and unfamiliar atmosphere.
The clothes – like the capital itself – are a mishmash of different styles, time periods, and materials. Suits are made from the classic Prince of Wales check, whereas trench coats are made out of the durable polythal with exploded shoulders. The emphasis is on a strong silhouette with minimal jewellery or accessories. In the film by model Celina Ralph wears a deconstructed corset dress with layers of blush tulle and the Wander shoe. The Wander shoe, key to the collection, adds a tougher edge to the refined looks. This collection is an exciting take on Spring Summer, typical of McQueen: classic, modern, feminine, and edgy. What is perhaps most exciting is the way the collection and Glazer’s interpretation of it speaks to this moment in time.
Here are our favourite pieces you can shop from the collection, available on www.alexandermcqueen.com.
