the fifth door: Hail the King!!

McQueen found inspiration
everywhere: in literature,
painting, history, myth
and his own life.

The historical costume (right) was displayed at the Exposition Universalle de Lyon in 1798. The gown is typical of the period. Towards the end of the 19^th Century, there was a reduction in size of the bustle and the skirt line changed to a funnel shape with a flaring hem. The gigot sleeves became prevalent again as the shoulder line expanded.

The breathtaking Sarabande Flower Dress debuted in Alexander McQueens’ 2007 Spring/Summer Collection. It’s an absolutely exquisite and romantic gown, structured with boning and made of nude organza embroidered with silk and fresh flowers.

I was fortunate enough to see when I visited the NY Met this year to view his Savage Beauty Exhibition.

While drawing from classical lines, Mr McQueen has in his inimitable way made it modern. The front hemline is scooped to reveal the lower legs and to highlight the movement of the dress in motion. The bodice is asymmetrical and the shoulders scoop upwards to create a beautiful silhouette that the dress falls from. The high neck also helps accentuate the length and fall of the gown.

One of the most legendary dresses of all time, whose beauty goes beyond the unthinkable, the fashion creation of history, today is The Sarabande Flower dress by the immortal genius Alexander McQueen,an impossible dress covered with amazing purple flowers, swaying to the sweet agony of the infinite; some things are born to never . ¹

McQueen stated “Things rot. . . . I used flowers because they die. My mood was darkly romantic at the time.”²

Photos:

· Period Costume - The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute- Fashion, A History from the 18th to the 20th Century.

· Sarabande Flower Dress – Savage Beauty, Book

· Alexander McQueen portrait – Savage Beauty, Book

· Alexander McQueen logo by ronnieBEe - http://ronniebee.deviantart.com/art/alexander-mcqueen-logo-160360262

Quotes

· Front page - Andrew Bolton, Savage Beauty Exhibition, Curator Metropolitan Museum of Art.

· 1. http://www.fernandoirigoyen.com/the-blog/fashion-creation-of-history-the-sarabande-flower-dress-by-alexander-mcqueen

· 2. Harper’s Bazaar, April 2007

References