This
exhibition at the V&A Museum is breathtaking, both for the way it is displayed
and the work it shows. You come out reeling from the amazing inventiveness of
Alexander McQueen, not only the clothes he designed but also the headwear,
shoes, jewellery and the sheer spectacle of the catwalk shows. It is a credit
to the curators that they managed to convey all of this through brilliant room
designs that immerse you in the themes of the collections. McQueen was also a
man who knew how to use lace – it is everywhere – but always used to effect,
sometimes a small piece attached to fabric, at others a huge ruffle, an entire
dress, or a veil over the entire face. Veiling, or rather masking, is another
key factor in many of these designs which adds to their gothic feeling of personal
confinement. I was interested in the lace, but beautiful workmanship can also
be seen in the embroidery, metalwork and garment construction. One of the great
things about this exhibition is that the spectacle is amazing but so are the fine
details. It is one of the best exhibitions I’ve seen for a long time – visit it
if you can.
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