Sometimes it’s worth delving into the dusty archives of the past in order to reimagine different, exciting possibilities for the future. And this is exactly what Alexander McQueen did with its Autumn/Winter 2019 menswear collection, paying homage to the North (the home of creative director Sarah Burton) and Northern Soul, but with a heady nostalgia for times gone by.

For the collection, contrasting ideals found themselves seamlessly combined, like swirls of paint eventually disappearing into one another. Influences saw optimism of the 50s merged with the creative freedom of the 80s (think The Smiths and Joy Division). Gritty realism meets English romanticism.

Tailored leather boiler suits came in hot pink, but were twice-belted and paired with mod-style monkey boots. Fancy blush sweater vests and English rose brooches were tucked into traditional Prince of Wales checks with stripes of magenta. Tux jackets were a chaos of crystal embellishment, and trench coats were updated in a punky scarlet leather.