Alexander McQueen AW13 Menswear

Alexander McQueen AW13 review by Katy Thompson

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Alexander McQueen Autumn/Winter 2013 Menswear

This haunting McQueen collection was exhibited in a worn industrial setting with a piercing soundtrack to accompany it. The buzz of the song helped by an inharmonious combination of clashing chords, increased both anticipation and fright. I found the transparent masquerade disturbing yet creative, exactly what you would expect at a McQueen show. 'House of Wax' meets 'The Strangers', a clear mask adding a cling-filmed clinical effect, contrasting the expertly tailored selection of suits with a vague feeling of anonymity.

The environment in which the catwalk collection was shown involved a maze of various different rooms, meaning several of the men were seen at once. The emotionless faces seen behind the plastic and the robotic walks only enhanced the spooky feel of the exhibit; I believe it added intensity and focus upon the bodies gliding by. I felt almost as though the men were made of synthetic materials and programmed a sequence of steps through a small door on their backs.

The garments, although displayed in an unusual way were as beautiful as ever. The show began with a selection of black and charcoal suits; with pinstriped shirts in no short supply, placed underneath with large pointed collars and making appearances on the suits themselves. The turtleneck was seen on many of the outfits, styled both with blazer and without.

As the show went on, monochrome was introduced swiftly followed by a bold theme of red. This affected the feel of the show, resurrecting Dracula before our very eyes. Panels became a theme, both in white and red, featured in trousers and in long jackets. This was even bought out in the design of the environment with dark and gloomy colours, broken up by the bold red metal beams.

The tailoring seen was exquisite, with patch working seen on some of the jackets, using various shades of greys and browns. The show had a smooth feel with the men styled with slicked back hair and shaved back and sides, reminding me of the war-time look. Repetitive pattern brought the collection to life. The patterns seen used clear influences from mosaic, religious art and stained glass. Polka dots were within these styles making a subtle appearance in shirts and dressing gowns. Towards the end of the show richer colours were seen such as burgundies and gold embroidery.

The collection had something theatrical about it; it felt like the models acted parts and the location was the set of a film. The garments built throughout the exhibit like a pyramid, developing colour, uniqueness and creativity. Sarah Burton did an amazing job at mixing the feel of the garments with the styling and location. It was memorable and enticing.