Alexander McQueen’s New Direction

The film’s urban setting lacks the natural elements often associated with romanticism, which is what we know from Burton’s campaigns, hence, immediately shifts the tone. The campaign begins with an image of an antique clock with integrated music-box-like ballerinas dancing, abruptly interrupted by a cut to black. This transitions to a living room where a young man reclines in an old chair, wearing look 42: well-fitted leather pants and a top made of mirror shards. The scene shifts to a short sequence of someone who seems to have just left the house, stepping into city life, accompanied by calm music that quickly gains a beat with the next sharp cut to black. This could symbolize the transition the house is going through at the moment. Having the scene play around precious, somewhat romantic, vintage items, then transitioning to a faster beat once the house is left behind, and let a new chapter begin. The narrative progresses to the cast out in the city, journeying from late-afternoon vibes to the pulsing nightlife, charged with different emotions while making it McQueen. While mainly ignoring the camera, they are flirting, laughing, fiercely walking and dancing, a combination of emotions and actions we did not know yet from McQueen campaigns! While you would only rarely see the brand’s clothes in such settings, it seems so authentic, as if they belonged there. This is the energy that McGirr was talking about “I want to bring that energy to life with the rigour and raw feeling that makes the city’s air hum, leaning deep into its tensions — something that feels poetic and primal; powerful and real. Something that comes from people. I want to bring light to that” as he stated.

Comparing this new campaign with the previous ones we can assume that the new appointed Creative Director is distancing himself from the old approach, implying a new direction for the brand, which, in this author’s opinion, is often the primary reason for appointing a new creative director.

In the past six years, only the campaigns for Spring/Summer (SS) 23, FW23 and FW18 were set in urban surroundings, while the rest took place in a natural setting – by the water (SS22 or SS20), in fields (FW20, SS19 or FW17), in the woods (FW22) or in the jungle (SS18). When remembering the general performances, the cast was moving slowly and actively interacting with the camera by frequent eye contact. The camera almost seemed to be the main orientation point for the models. This romantic vision was portrayed in a certain elegant coolness, which was often supported by slow-motion sequences.

While the FW24 campaign effectively portrays McGirr’s vision for the house and introduces new elements to their visual representation, it appears that the house is still gently introducing these changes to their audience. All the looks chosen, follow an aesthetic that does not necessarily give off which houses the new CD is coming from but simply hinting that the recent collection is by a new designer, yet resembling the Alexander McQueen aesthetic we are all used to. This supported by choosing leather, razor sharp suiting, frayed denim, beads and fluffy, voluminous dresses with a fur-like texture.

As said in the beginning, the brand Alexander McQueen is provoking and aims to get a reaction. With such a strong visual brand identity and a large group of admirers, Seán McGirr joined a fashion house with one of the toughest CD positions to take over in the industry. His mission is to introduce his aesthetic while staying true to the brand’s legacy, which is exactly what he did. With this campaign he showed us his love for London and McQueen, resulting in a merge of both, which is Seán McGirr for Alexander McQueen.