Loïc Prigent’s latest report from Paris Fashion Week captures the electric arrival of Seán McGirr’s fourth collection for Alexander McQueen at the Tennis Club de Paris. The set, designed by Tom Scutt, features dark, ribbon-draped tipis that set a folkloric tone inspired by the 1973 horror classic, The Wicker Man. McGirr explains that the collection follows the narrative of a "religious policeman" who becomes consumed by an isolated community, leading to a transition where "all hell kind of breaks loose". This thematic journey begins with rigid, navy blue officer jackets and corseted police uniforms that eventually evolve into "fucked up" and "pagan" garments adorned with bells. Prigent highlights a major milestone for the house with the return of the "Bumster," the iconic ultra-low-waisted silhouette first introduced by Alexander McQueen in 1993. McGirr has pushed this code into the modern era, presenting "sexually charged" Bumster cargo shorts and relaxed chinos that reveal the small of the back.
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The collection is "sprinkled with cutting and tailoring prowess," maintaining the house's Savile Row roots while embracing a "perfectly imperfect" philosophy. Prigent observes the technical details of this distressing, noting that the team uses metal brushes to skillfully scratch jacquards and ruffles, so they look "really lived in" and "not too precious". McGirr also introduces a new "internal drape" lapel that turns in on itself, paired with crushed buttons to maintain a sense of "chic sharpness" that feels undone. The accessories contribute to this "unsettling atmosphere," featuring sharp "defensive jewelry" and a reworked knuckle duster clutch that has been given a playful, "dipped" toy-like finish.
As the show progresses, the models—described as "Earth empresses" or "sexy soldiers"—appear with hands dipped in clay and makeup smudged like charcoal that has been rained on. Prigent explores the intricate construction of the more "twisted" pieces, such as hand-crocheted leather nets and 8-kilogram metal chain armor that McGirr calls "William Wallace". This armor serves as a literal "magical power" for the McQueen woman, who is depicted as an ambiguous figure who is "never neutral". The romanticism of the collection is furthered by prints of fornicating ladybirds and "toy soldiers forgotten in a field of flowers," all suggesting that nature is reclaiming its place.
The presentation reaches a crescendo with Elina Gunawardena wearing a "goddess" dress constructed from 21 meters of silk parachute fabric. McGirr describes the piece as a "wild" and "free" silhouette that floats around the model like a cloud, intended to pass through the audience like a spell. Earrings shaped like pagan stones from Stonehenge complete the look, emphasizing the "proud witch" energy that Prigent encourages his viewers to embrace. Ultimately, the collection reinforces that McQueen remains a house of dark storytelling, where clothes act as armor for women who have "endured a night of terror".
