Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris.

Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris.

The rose is a motif that often features in fashion design, but it was specifically the degradation of the rose that was used in the Autumn-Winter 2015 collection at Alexander McQueen. The idea of petals becoming slowly more bruised and ragged was played out in the fabrics and textiles with shredded chiffon and shaded organza petals with torn edges.

Some of the references to roses in the collection were fairly literal with large roses appearing on coats and translated out into the pinks and reds of the colour palette. At other times, the use of the rose motif was more subtly embedded as part of the pattern of the fabric.

At times, the general curved shaping of stylised petals appeared to be translated in more graphic ways in garments that also played with the contrast between dusty pink and vibrant red. In these garments, it appears that panels of pink and red fabric were joined together along curved panel lines which were then pleated to form skirts with crisp ridges. The pleated skirts were shaped using contrast bands that ran horizontally around the hips and waists of the garments to control the amount that the pleating can flare away from the body.

These same dresses also featured necklines which were made square through the use of wide-set straps and through the shaping of the bust cups which were spliced clean and flat across the top, rather than curving around the tops of the breasts. These bust cup shapes were supported using specially shaped underwires which dipped slightly at the centre front.

One other detail worth noticing was the pattern cutting of a shaped sleeve that appeared on a couple of the jackets and coats. The sleeve shape appears to be cut to create a wide flared cuff that sits in the crease of the elbow. A line of topstitching that is visible from the outside of this sleeve appears to indicate how deep the facing is on the inside of the sleeve.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 1. Fabrics panelled and then pleated.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 2. Specially shaped underwire.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 3. Straps are set wide to create square neckline.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 4. Horizontal bands control fit and flare of pleats.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 5. Large flat buttons positioned above and below knotted belt.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 6. Darts and panels edgestitched to flatten.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 7. Lacy ruffles echo the edges of petals and act as Victorian reference.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 8. Large rose designs woven into fabric.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 9. Fringing to trim hem.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 10. Shaped sleeve panel with wide cuff detail.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 11. Line of topstitching may indicate depth of facing.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 12. Alternating lines of shirring and tucks.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 13. Alternating tiers with shredded chiffon.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 14. Glossy leather shaped into puffball hem.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 15. Fabric is shaded and left raw on the edges to resemble bruised petals.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 16. Fabric edges appear torn and add texture to layers.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 17. Appears to be lace layered with strands of thread or feathers.

Constructing Roses at Alexander McQueen | The Cutting Class. Alexander McQueen, AW15, Paris, Image 18. Appears to be lace layered with strands of thread, fur and hair.

Images from Vogue.co.ukĀ»

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