FIT FOR McQUEEN
I’d never be one to disparage Sarah Burton’s fantastic work at Alexander McQueen –I’d go to the grocery store in the stuff if I were a foot taller – but when I imagine some of the runway looks on anyone other than a giraffienne model it goes a little like the above.
That said, I know I’d do terrible things to get my paws on some of the pieces that have been re-imagined for us mortals. At press time only a single, small rack in the New York Alexander McQueen boutique on West 14th Street was devoted to fall (the rest of the store is stocked with the brilliant, vaguely naval pre-fall collection) but what was available was very promising. I would guess given the fairly light weight of the clothes and the fact that they still reveal quite a lot of skin means that these are the most transitional pieces that will be on offer. It’s going to be interesting to see how the brand interprets the fall 2011 show into warmer jackets and trousers as we move further into the colder months.
My favorite piece so far is a zip-waist tweed dress (which, thank goodness was photographed by Bergdorf Goodman so I can show you here). The fabric, zipper detail, and two short slits allude to the dress I’ve illustrated above but its simplicity will allow for a wider variety of styling options. And, of course, this means the cost per wearing (Price/Number of Wearings = Ability to Rationalize Purchase where the lower the number, the easier it is to convince yourself that you neeeeeeed something) is much less shocking.
Illustrations by Michelle Ricks, Center: Zip-Waist Tweed Dress – Alexander McQueen – $3425 at Bergdorf Goodman, Left/Right: images via Style.com
