The Ask
The Ask
Analyze a designer's collection, exploring its historical context and societal influences, and evaluating the designer's fashion philosophy and aesthetic choices using proper fashion terminology.
The Process
The Process
Upon receiving this assignment, I was thrilled to see I had the freedom to choose whichever designer and collection I wanted. If you’ve been here a while, you know that McQueen was one of the first designers I was exposed to. Ever since that project in high school, Alexander McQueen was the one I kept up with, leaving me in a constant state of awe collection after collection. So, when it came to choosing the focus of my analysis, Alexander McQueen was a no-brainer.
My next step was choosing one of MANY remarkable collections to examine. After much consideration, I chose to take a ‘deep dive’(Ha! Read my analysis and you’ll get the joke) into McQueen’s Plato’s Atlantis spring/summer 2010 ready-to-wear collection. This collection was a pivotal moment for a plethora of reasons. It was McQueen’s last collection, a marvel of craftsmanship, and a turning point for the world of fashion.
“Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution.” - McQueen
“Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution.” - McQueen
"His vision was unique, he saw the reality but found a way to express the potential."
"His vision was unique, he saw the reality but found a way to express the potential."
"The evolution theme was worthy of demanding attention from the fashion industry."
"The evolution theme was worthy of demanding attention from the fashion industry."
Outcome
Outcome
Click to read my full analysis!
I had a lot of fun writing this analysis. Not only was the focus on my favorite designer, but the collection had so many angles and layers to explore. The connections, themes, and inspirations were endless. I especially enjoyed drawing on knowledge from a history of costumes course I took earlier in my academic career, which examined fashion over the course of years. From this, I was able to derive such interesting connections between Plato’s Atlantis and 16th-century fashion. Alexander McQueen's visionary work has long been an inspiration, sparking my fascination with fashion. His fearless artistry, unafraid to confront the unconventional, is a privilege and honor to study.