Sarah Burton Takes a Final Bow for Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2024
With the show opening with Kaia Gerber and closing with Naomi Campbell, Sarah Burton presents her final collection for Alexander McQueen.
There's a connection that Sarah Burton has with Alexander McQueen that runs deeper than the usual bond a creative director has with their brand. Perhaps it is because she worked side by side with Lee McQueen before he passed, understanding the House's roots at a much more personal level. This connection though, has been her greatest strength since being named creative director in 2010, unveiling collections that unquestionably honor McQueen's legacy. But Burton has also mastered what is still so hard to do for legacy brands — providing her own perspective to McQueen's world that takes the House into the future.
For the Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2024 show, Burton sings her swan song as she presents her last collection before officially stepping down from her coveted role. The show opened with Kaia Gerber, walking in a black, cinched mini dress with a keyhole neckline, slashed sleeves, and red heels. The following garments were hauntingly beautiful, not in a theatrical fashion, but in a wearable way that speaks to the modern-day Alexander McQueen woman.
"This collection is inspired by female anatomy, Queen Elizabeth I, the blood red rose, and Magdalena Abakanowicz, a transgressive and powerfully creative artist who refused ever to compromise her vision. The show is dedicated to the memory of Lee Alexander McQueen, whose wish was always to empower women, and to the passion, talent, and loyalty of my team," the show notes read.
The iconic rose motif (a signature of the brand that dates back to McQueen's earliest collections) was ever-present, taking shape in various forms: painted down a sleeveless leather dress; the pattern of a texturized crochet knit; the silhouette of a flowy maxi gown; the outline of chunky gold earrings. Another House code was the color palette: black and crimson red, with inserts of white, gold, and silver. There was a mix of silhouettes and design techniques that transverse Burton's range, from skin-tight catsuits to tailored trench coats to ruffled maxi dresses to crochet appliqued tops to blazers with cutouts — all design choices that celebrate the female form in unique ways. The inclusion of lace, metallics, and fringe was another ode to honoring McQueen signatures.
Closing the show was Naomi Campbell, who donned a silver dress with a peplum corset bodice and fringe skirt. As Burton gives her final bow, bringing her time at the House to a conclusion, she receives a standing ovation.
