Chappell Roan, Maisie Williams and Law Roach were among the famous faces at the Alexander McQueen runway show for Paris Fashion Week, which took place on Saturday.
The show, held at Paris's Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie, was a deep exploration of dark romance, a theme that is intricately woven into the DNA of the brand.
Creative Director Seán McGirr sent hoardes of extravagantly dressed Victorian dandies down his runway, with high lace collars, exaggerated pointed shoes, frothy ruffles, dramatic faux fur sleeves and stiff corsets among the looks, all in romantic shades of red, lavender and mint green, contrasting with inky black.
Literature, and the shadowy figures explored in Victorian novels in particular, was a key touchstone for this season's collection, cementing a trend that seems to be appearing in this year's fashion month: Dior also turned to literature - in their case, Virginia Woolf's Orlando - for inspiration in their presentation.
Speaking to Vogue, Dubliner McGirr explained that he started with Charles Dickens' Night Walks, which follows an insomniac walking the streets of London until dawn. He told the publication: "It kind of got me thinking about this idea of a flaneur, someone who is very self assured and knows themselves really, really well, which for me is a strength of McQueen."
The show opened with a striking monochromatic black suit, featuring peak shoulders, a cinched waist and exaggerated hip detailing, worn over a high collared lace blouse.
More Gothic looks followed, including a sheer lace gown worn by model Alex Consani, followed by a burst of colour from some crimson red designs. Old-world motifs were contrasted with sharp and modern elements, such as a tight, structured purple jacket paired with a ruffled shirt and lace stockings.
The space itself hinted at McGirr's vision: a rectangular mirrored panel jutted out from the otherwise traditional and stately runway, creating a portal to the future amid the classic.
The iconic McQueen skull made an appearance on a menswear white shirt covered with a green skull motif, which lead into stunning pastel designs: a pale green gown with a ruffled bodice and a sheer lavender creation with long, voluminous sleeves and a high neck.
As has been a staple of McGirr's collections so far, there were nods to his native Ireland, with one mini dress featuring a chunky knit in vivid red. He called on another Irish fashion legend, milliner Philip Treacy, to create sculptural hats to augment certain looks.
The dandy - defined as a man who is preoccupied with looking stylish, and also the subject of this year's Met Gala - was at the heart of McGirr's collection. "To me, Dandyism is the ultimate act of adornment; deeply personal, playful and transgressive," he wrote in the show notes.
"It raises questions of character and identity, idealism and gender. I wanted to explore the enduring relevance of the dady's radical spirit in our modern world."
The Dublin-born designer succeeded Sarah Burton, who departed the luxury fashion house after 26 years, Kering – the house's parent company – taking up the reigns in October 2023. His first collection was presented in March 2024.
