McQ Alexander McQueen call in a host of mega-creatives to showcase their AW16 collection.
McQ know a thing or two about an innovative collaboration, and the brand’s irreverent, rebellious nature never fails to make campaigns, presentations and collections that are thoroughly on point yet full of surprises. From their Nan Goldin shot SS16 campaign to Harley Weir’s AW15 McQ campaign posters defaced by Belgian artist Ermias Kifleyesus and displayed in the Spitalfields McQ flagship’s basement-cum-art-gallery space, McQ have become known for working with some of the most exciting creatives around.
Today, McQ are presenting their AW16 collection in a digital presentation documented by Caroline Sodergen, making it readily available for all to see online (we did say they were innovative, how very 2016 of them!). Not only do you get to see the full collection online right now, McQ are making the AW16 experience 360 with a series of character studies by Jack Davison, short films by Wonder-fave Sharna Osborne and the full collection looks shot by Brianna Capozzi.
WOMEN’S AW16
In true McQueenian style, McQ’s AW16 collection draws inspiration from rebellious youth. This season this means the rebellious club kids inhabiting the dance and strip clubs of late 1970s and 80s Shinjuku, Tokyo. It is, naturally, a collection of contrasts – think sweet meets sadistic; black leather meets traditional Japanese Kimono floral print. There’s black leather capes, rompers and flashback bat-wing silhouettes – a nod to fetishism.
It’s not all so far away from home though, the brand have nodded back to their Scottish heritage, updating the kilt into trousers and making us all fall in love with cardigan knits all over again. Sitting comfortably in the space they’ve always ruled McQ remains the wilder, hedonistic little sibling of McQueen, playing on it’s youthfulness with sweeter-than-sugar pure white Mary-Janes for footwear along with the eternal staple of the rebellious teen: Creepers.
MEN’S AW16
Still in a nostalgic mood, menswear peered back at the brand’s ancestral history too. Taking on Fair Isle knits for AW16. None of this so-subtle-you-don’t-even-notice fuss either, full blown head to toe clashing colours were spattered all over the turtlenecks and trousers. Kilts got a look in too in the form of long, ballooning culottes. Nan Goldin’s SS16 campaign for McQ portrayed clubbing creatures in their underworld, although AW16 has a more stay-at-home vibe, the kids are still itching to go out. Thigh high lace up boots, leather pants and matching gilets are perfect Soho Saturday night attire. You might be cosy at home in the week but McQ are ready to dress you for the weekend. “The McQ man lives two lives” the collection notes state, one is the grown up, the realist, the sensible one. The other life is his adolescent side that never grew up. Peter Pan in patent leather, what a sight to behold
