Alexander McQueen Women's SS 13 - Paris

[mrbeuys]

I don't think it's about the way his death was treated (sure, it's what creates legends, I need not give examples) - he was just a really gifted designer. He didn't have to die for that to be true. See Lang.

[Faust]

/\ Agreed.

I don't think his death was treated with "gross spectacularity." He wasn't princess Diana. :-)

And I certainly don't think Burton is inadequate. She's just a different person, a different designer, that's all. It's just that the comparisons will be inevitable, naturally.

[525252]

When I talk about the treatment of his death, I mean the media machine and the spectacle that was made of him. Our dearly beloved tortured genius "Lee" is just a homunculus celebrity. I don't doubt Alexander McQueen was an incredible designer though.

[525252]

I don't think his death was treated with "gross spectacularity." He wasn't princess Diana. :-)

And I certainly don't think Burton is inadequate. She's just a different person, a different designer, that's all. It's just that the comparisons will be inevitable, naturally.

ooft missed my irony there, Burton is not inadequate though I do think it sad that at the end of the day she must make money, not fashion, because no matter the predecessor the company will go through inevitable losses since the new designer "will never match the one and only McQueen!" and plus holding the stakes of a brand with so much omg artistic genius legacy behind it is valuable and worth giving a shot for capital.

He wasn't princess Diana but come on, it was nearly that. People went hysterical, sales went up, suddenly everyone gave a shit about him, you can't deny that

[Qwerty]

Because AMcQ is owned by PPR and just became profitable two years ago or so. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a meeting behind closed doors before Burton's promotion where she was reminded that she's in the business of making money not fashion. Still, like I said she's clearly talented and it's a strong collection on her terms. And which young designer, except perhaps Olivier Theyskens, do you think could pick up where McQueen left off? Why not his right hand woman of many years?

I do see the commercial appeal of Sarah Burton, but I have been trying in vain to catch a glimpse of genius creativity in her collections, even in a Sarah Burton form. She must have been a very good right-hand for McQ in developing the obsessive details which he needed to fill for some of his more extravagant couture-like creations, the thousands of beads, feathers, folds, etc. I think she should be given her own label for the style at which she excels. However, she's inadequate at the conceptual level where she's had to articulate a more compelling vision - she's all sweetness and light, even sexiness, but she isn't capable of stirring our deeper psyche like McQ, with his punk-gothic-Saville-Row sensibility, did with his provocative narratives.

It'll be so much fun to speculate on a worthier successor, who is best a St Martin's or Royal Academy at Antwerpen graduate. An obvious choice would be Iris van Herpen, but she's getting repetitive. I recently came across on Diane Pernet's site a modern baroque collection by UK-based Graham Fan, a St Martin's graduate, that reminded me of McQ's darker, tragic, romanticism, unusual, intricate construction and bold sartorial exaggeration :

http://www.notjustalabel.com/sites/d...3/img_0026.jpg

http://www.notjustalabel.com/sites/d...3/img_9305.jpg

http://www.notjustalabel.com/sites/d...3/img_0037.jpg

http://www.notjustalabel.com/sites/d...3/img_0001.jpg

http://www.notjustalabel.com/sites/d...img_9796_2.jpg

[zamb]

I do see the commercial appeal of Sarah Burton, but I have been trying in vain to catch a glimpse of genius creativity in her collections, even in a Sarah Burton form. She must have been a very good right-hand for McQ in developing the obsessive details which he needed to fill for some of his more extravagant couture-like creations, the thousands of beads, feathers, folds, etc. I think she should be given her own label for the style at which she excels. However, she's inadequate at the conceptual level where she's had to articulate a more compelling vision - she's all sweetness and light, even sexiness, but she isn't capable of stirring our deeper psyche like McQ, with his punk-gothic-Saville-Row sensibility, did with his provocative narratives.

It'll be so much fun to speculate on a worthier successor, who is best a St Martin's or Royal Academy at Antwerpen graduate. An obvious choice would be Iris van Herpen, but she's getting repetitive. I recently came across on Diane Pernet's site a modern baroque collection by UK-based Graham Fan, a St Martin's graduate, that reminded me of McQ's darker, tragic, romanticism, unusual, intricate construction and bold sartorial exaggeration :

The first comment reflects an irresponsible pursuit on your part and the second a greater irresponsibility on anyone who would even dream of talking about a successor.

I dont think anyone in their right mind would think someone other than her would do a better Job under the circumstances.....I personally think she is an excellent designer.

let us remind ourselves that people Like McQueen dont come around quite often..............Fashion had never before he came seen a designer like him, and I dont think anyone will come around any time soon

[Qwerty]

The first comment reflects an irresponsible pursuit on your part and the second a greater irresponsibility on anyone who would even dream of talking about a successor.

I dont think anyone in their right mind would think someone other than her would do a better Job under the circumstances.....I personally think she is an excellent designer.

let us remind ourselves that people Like McQueen dont come around quite often..............Fashion had never before he came seen a designer like him, and I dont think anyone will come around any time soon

Irresponsible for expressing an opinion that didn't dovetail with yours? And to speculate on an heir other than Sarah Burton, putting out a thought that is wholly *mine*.....tsk, tsk...who knows what seismic shifts in the cosmic pantheon of fashion greats might have have been set in motion by mere "dreaming" of an alternative to Burton.

If you have some good points to refute what I said about Burton's design, by all means state them, someone having a different opinion than mine is something that I am very much accustomed to, and which I find wholly healthy and natural.

I'm perfectly happy with my own "wrong/left-mind", and I will hold on to my own thoughts, thank you. There were/are/will be fashion designers like McQueen, and Sarah Burton designs mumsy frivolous frocks.

[zamb]

Dude,

I have no interest in devising a scholarly refutation to your irresponsible argument. lets see you design just one "mumsy frivolous frock"
Or see if you are as comparably good at your job as she is at hers.......
McQueen was an excellent designer, possibly the absolute best we have ever seen, and she was his right hand woman, working daily by his side in accomplishing what he did, so if anyone is suitable to continue it would be someone who knows and understood how he thought. Someone whose contributions to what was presented under his name helped to shape the very DNA of the company for more than fourteen years...........I'd rather see her continue than some semi talented, flash in the pan wannabe that you would like to see making a name off his legacy, a legacy that she helped him to build.......
Unless she had completely screwed up and just was downright horrible there is no reason to speculate on a successor.

lets see you argue that away Mr intellectually astute

Irresponsible for expressing an opinion that didn't dovetail with yours? And to speculate on an heir other than Sarah Burton, putting out a thought that is wholly *mine*.....tsk, tsk...who knows what seismic shifts in the cosmic pantheon of fashion greats might have have been set in motion by mere "dreaming" of an alternative to Burton.

If you have some good points to refute what I said about Burton's design, by all means state them, someone having a different opinion than mine is something that I am very much accustomed to, and which I find wholly healthy and natural.

I'm perfectly happy with my own "wrong/left-mind", and I will hold on to my own thoughts, thank you. There were/are/will be fashion designers like McQueen, and Sarah Burton designs mumsy frivolous frocks.

[laika]

^I think qwerty is a woman, zam.

Anyway, while it's apparent that this is the work of someone with extraordinary technical skills, these frocks hurt my eyes.

[525252]

qwerty's posts always read like an infomercial to me, and always seem to be full of whimsical arbitrary criticism.

take away the flowery language and you get:
"Burton sucks ballz!"
"omg you couldn't do any better!"
"wtf its my opinion shut up"
"your opinion is retarded"

[laika]

"omg you couldn't do any better!"

it seems you still aren't reading very carefully, because this was actually zam's argument.

What is with all the extraneous hostility, guys?

It seems Burton and Rick have gone maternal but the sz boys are going primal? I haven't seen so much aggression around here since the days when we were fighting about Bernhard Willhelm....

[zamb]

it seems you still aren't reading very carefully, because this was actually zam's argument.

What is with all the extraneous hostility, guys?

It seems Burton and Rick have gone maternal but the sz boys are going primal? I haven't seen so much aggression around here since the days when we were fighting about Bernhard Willhelm....

M.
Sorry I was away getting a haircut from my new female spanish barber

and i dont want my post to at all seem as if its hostile ...........if it did that wasn't at all my intent.

anyways, I am always annoyed as to how dismissive we can be of hard working people who are actually doing a good Job.
putting a good collection together is no cakewalk, and i do think this is very good albeit heavy handed.........

On another note i am hoping to see you later this week, please tell me my hope is not in vain

[525252]

hey no hostility intended, just a critique of a critique.

And I completely agree with Zam, but saying "you can't do any better" is a weak argument- what is the point of any kind of critic if their opinions are qualified only if they could do better?

ps. I'm not an sz boy

[525252]

I do have to say though, people seem to be repeatedly interpreting things I say as hostile but I'm actually a complete dweeb and I never intend it that way, the tone of it just gets lost and misread over the internet

apologies for any offence taken in any case!

[interest1]

Anyway, while it's apparent that this is the work of someone with extraordinary technical skills, these frocks hurt my eyes.

Your eyes / my head, LoL..

Guess ya had to be there. Oh, wait. I've no doubt we'd have loved the show. Now take it off the runway, put it all on hangers in a retail setting, and (here's the biggie), approach it as if you don't know whose name is stitched across the label. Would you be wiping honey from the corners of your mouths?

I'm with laika & especially Qwerty on this one. I can and do appreciate the collection on its technical merit, but that doesn't mean I like it.

Yeah, it feels like McQueen. Most of that hinging on the carburetor headgear and a few cage corsets. Otherwise, from the neck, down, unfortunately I'm getting way more sting from this bee than honey.