Alexander McQueen's 'heartbreakingly beautiful' final collection is unveiled

Since his suicide last month, Alexander McQueen has been hailed as a master of his craft. But for his final collection he had wanted to pay tribute to the Old Masters of fine art. A hauntingly beautiful display that fitted the sombre mood, the late designer's posthumous offering for autumn/winter 2010 was shown in a series of private presentations. Models with bandaged heads and feathered Mohawks made for a regal parade that paid homage to his love of the theatrical. Witnesses said t was more like a memorial service than a fashion show.
Referencing angels and religious icons, sculptural brocade minidresses gave way to dramatic capes and even gilded wings, in a palette that strayed from the rich and decadent to the purest of whites and greys. Ornate gold relief designs somehow worked in harmony with prints that looked to be a collage of works from the archive of Hieronymus Bosch. Intricate neckwear resembled the coloured shards of stained glass windows, while even the footwear featured platforms embellished with gold.
A highlight was a coat of gold feathers that gave way to layers of full white skirt - the finale to a 16-piece collection that achieved the seemingly impossible feat of surpassing even his previous season's work. Indeed the show notes said as much, with the line: 'Each piece is unique, as was he.' Suzy Menkes, of the New York Times, called it 'a requiem for a great designer. 'His vision of Gothic glory, with a world bathed in religious symbolism, was translated not just with immense subtlety and beauty but also with the urgent futurism that was the essence of his spirit.'
The Independent's Susannah Frankel added: 'This was a heartbreakingly beautiful and perfectly judged tribute to one of the greatest talents the fashion industry has known, realised by a tightly knit and gifted group of people who have protected his name and what it stands for since he started out.' The series of seven presentations were held at the 18th Century Hôtel de Clermont-Tonnerre - the headquarters of the label's parent company, PPR.