Lee.

I feel gloomy today, so I want to do my dedication tribute post thing to Alexander McQueen. And I know this will have zero effect and if someone actually reads it that would be more weird than anything, but it's important to me.

Fall 2010. I heard this line was 80% complete when he killed himself. So Sarah Burton (who's taking over Alexander McQueen) finished it, and I think she did a good job as far as you can do a job that's already mostly done. It reminds me of pray mantis. And all sorts of insects; cinched and wrapped and thin and strange.

Spring 2010. This was one of the first Spring lines I saw because at the time I was more stumbling upon them than slaving over them for hours on style.com. But I guess this line kind of started it. When I saw the shoes  I was kind of weirded out. I still think they can be shocking out of context. But in context? Here? They look amazing.

Resort 10. I think this might actually be one of the only Resort lines McQueen ever did, and you can understand why. Resort and Pre-Fall aren't exactly factories of eccentricity. They're understated. Aaand trying to understate McQueen turns out weirdly, like all his Givenchy lines. Stupid Givenchy-creative-squashers.

Fall 2009. IS THERE ANYTHING MORE PERFECT THAN THIS? Now I am feeling morbid and excited in some strange mix. But oh man this is so beautiful. I wish I had a close up of the lips/lipstick because it's pretty much a massive oval taking over double the normal-lip-size-area... Buut I think I've already way overloaded this post with pictures so I decided against it.

If you are going to look at any of the McQueen lines though, this is the one. Philip Treacy (who designs the headpieces) and Alexander McQueen combined were actually like a weird dual messiah.

Pre Fall 2009. This equestrian thing reminds me so much of the Dior 2010 Spring Couture line that I'm feeling kind of odd. It feels tense to me. Or intense. Like there isn't enough and it's about to explode because there should be more. I have no idea why I feel like this.

Spring 2009. OH MY. The first outfit is ri-dic-u-lowse!!!!!!! I would wear that every day ever. I really like the hair all up in the faceee and the skull on Abbey Lee's dress. It reminds me of pretty little girls carrying massive weights. Like a lot of the people I know.

Resort 2009. SO MUCH BUSINESS. Business suits and business skirts and business shoes and businessbusinessbusiness. It's not my favourite, but no matter, no matter.

Fall 2008. And all the kings horses and all the kings men looked fucking ahmayzing. Genuinely suprised there were no horses in this one! ARE YOU GETTING THE HAIR PIECES THOUGH? Oh man oh man. So: gold, deep red, soldier jackets, draped skirts, tight waists, huge skirts and cute little ballet flats. I am going to pieces over this.

Spring 2008. MORE AMAZING HEAD PIECES. I actually should probably stop mentioning them because McQueen didn't exactly design them.. at all.. But I have no self control (Is this obvious? How many parenthesis have I used so far? AI DUN CAYA)

The way the tops and skirts and dresses go in to triangles, I have no idea how to explain that. It pretty much sums up McQueen I think. And low rise jeans of course. In addition, the bottom of the pale blue dress though (second along) OHHHHHHHyes.

Fall 2007. EGYPTIAN. I like Egyptian inspired fashion lines, even if it is a little bit of safety net, like Victorian style or water. I really shouldn't have led with that though, because it's really going for an all over ancient theme - well that's what I figure. I do think this kind of thing is really subjective.

The skirts are long and straight, with some give, and the fringes (for the Egyptian looks) are blunt and eyeliner thick. The Roman and Greek looks are middle parts, armor and decadence. I'm all over it captain.

Spring 2007. Didn't I just mention Victorian? I REALLY NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE FLOWER DRESS FIRST THOUGH. I think my insides are liquid. The sleeves for one, the neckline (which kind of looks like it's holding her head up) and then of course how it all finishes in this huge ball of flower. Fuck, I think I will cry.

I should also mention that that headpiece is the tip of the iceberg, the Victorian theme is way more evident from the whole line (not so much from the pictures I showed. What a twat.) and that I may have changed my mind about the whole Fall 09 line being the must see collection.

 Fall 2006. I should probably mention there is a lot more tartan in the collection that I have shown (...which is none) and that it's all very Scottish and lovely. It's not one of my favourties, but it's still amazing. And it has headpieces, so you can tell he put his heart in it.

Spring 2006. I just really want that white dress. This was another played down sort of one, which is getting increasingly puzzling, but I still think it's pretty lathered in magic.

 Fall 2005. I had to read a review for this one, because the inspiration was so so lost on me. Turns out it's a 60s sort of theme. I just didn't feel it. It's kind of trashy, which is probably a political front about how trashy some people are or something. Maybe it's not. Just the hair was weirdly big. Sixties-big. I don't know. That red dress is still wonderful. And Jessica Stam has red hair, so that was great.

Spring 2005. In my next life I am going to be a chess piece. Decision making is too hard anyway. No, I'm kidding. I hear that kind of thing is rubbish. My favourites are the lavender and the pale pink, even if they are somewhat further away. Odd. This was so school girl and school girl day dreams, and something about the dreaming translates to the reality of the chess board. I am mostly likely way off base with that though.

 Fall 2004. Ohh what I would do to have massive cashmere pants. Most of this line was in a caramel colour, but then there were pieces like that necklace and the huge theatrical gown and Gemma Ward's flowy drapey outift - which consequently reminds me of those British guys in the knickerbockers (IT'S LATE AND NAMES ARE ESCAPING ME) and it's all so good. Not great or huge or outlandish or fantastical or whizzical (That's not a word is it. What is the word I am thinking of!?) But it's good and I like it.

Spring 2004. Ooo-la-la dancing. I struggleee to see the outfits! Maybe it's because I'm such a little spoilt blogger always getting to see my outfits front on with some nice sunken ship background or such. Um, as far as I can see they are good?

The real Alexander McQueen element was the dancing though - which was a mix of models and dancers and apparently took weeks of practice. I love Erin Wasson being dragged around - I'm pretty sure she was dragged off stage (probably drinking, for the nerves. No kidding so unprofessional) and the jumper and sequin jumpsuit outfit in the second last picture.

 Fall 2003. Oh I love this runway. The snow on the gravel and the rocks. I really like all of it even if I'm not crazy about some of the patterns. That black dress is so beautifully made though and the second top needs a details picture (there were none) so I can be zoomed in real close and stare at how it's put together.

Spring 2003. Would you believe I am actually not being a twat again and haven't mixed up two different lines? It started off piratey with deep greens and blacks, and then somehow (probably around the third picture there) it turned into this birds-of-paradise spring-fest. No I wasn't confused... :| I'm actually still pretty confused, but the journalist on style.com seemed to get it.. The only link I can make is some sort of Caribbean thing. I guess I've lost my thinking cap.

PS: Flower-earring-hairpiece-oh-my

 Fall 2002. I would become a matador if I got to wear this sort of thing. Or convert to Spanishism (this is a joke I know there is no such thing. I feel like I have to clear this up though in case you think I'm one of those idiots who don't know the capital of their country. I'm not being rude I actually know a girl like that. No wait I am being rude. PURPOSEFULLY.)

Spring 2002. I am not overly excited. The line is called 'The Dance of the Twisted Bull' which clears things up a bit more, especially when you see the skin tight dress with rippled skirts. And yes, I do definitely think this is a continuance of the Spanish theme from the fall line.

Fall 2001. MUM SAYS I NEED TO WEAR MORE RUFFLES*. The headpiece on the third one (STOP TALKING ABOUT HEADPIECES) AHEM. is driving me insane and I want to wear it everywhere and I love the diagonal neckline most of the outfits have, even though I'm not the world's biggest fan of off-the-shoulder outfits (I hear that chick is awesome though?).

*She never said that.

 Spring 2001. So god was like 'OH HEY CHECK OUT WHAT I MADE IN SEVEN DAYS (Supposedly the world) And then Alexander McQueen was like 'OH YEAH THAT'S AIGHT. CHECK WHAT I DID (Spring 2001 line) and then god was like 'OWCH'

I don't know if that happened it's just a rumour. Anywho, this is the first line Alexander did designing for Alexander McQueen (i.e. the first ever Alexander McQueen line) and I can just imagine all the pressure of doing something like this for fashion week (even though I've never experienced anything like it). So feathered skirts and flowery-styled-designs draping all over the shoulders and the head caps that I like even though I will admit they are a bit strange (and are probably there so the hair doesn't take away from the shoulder draping floweriness).


So. I love Alexander McQueen and I always will and it destroys my heart, but at least now I can look at my favourites from his lines all the time and then maybe other people can. I don't want to forget.

Anyway, "in conclusion":

I call this one 'Tim Squared' (Haha see what I did there)

The hardest thing about looking at fashion lines that are only like a year old, is that everything feels done, because by now you've seen it over and over every which way a thousand times. And that is my honest opinion.

This is how it went down. Step 1. Find awesome site of editorials. Step 2. Find the Harper's Bazaar editorial for Tim Burton shot by Tim Walker (Tim Squared, haha good one good one). Step 3. Try not to have a hernia.

ALSO: The clothes are from Fall 2009 lines FORYOURINFORMATION.

I should probably warn you that the way Tim Walker uses skeletons in this editorial is aymayZIIIIIING. I couldn't suss out any runway images for any of the stuff above (grrr) mostly because they're hard to see properly, but that has in no way diluted my ability to stare at these head pieces. Aaaaand I think I've just gotten attracted to fire-engine-red hair more than I thought possible. Aaaaaaaand my new New-years-resolution is now to look this creepy and wonderful all the time.

INADDITION: Owing to the fact that I am superbly generous and don't want you to have to traipse through my links to discover theeeeeeee greatest people you will ever meet, here is the l0wDowN on the designers. And such. (For the picture above)

Left girl: Hairpin, dress and necklace by Louis Vuitton; Belt and boots by Gucci
Right girl: Gown by Jean Paul Gaultier, cuffs by CC Skye, shoes by YSL

Image one - Dress by Atelier Versace, necklace by Alexis Bittar, gloves by Giorgio Armani,  boots by Louis Vuitton                                           

                                                                                                                 
Image two - Left: Coat by Salvatore Ferragamo, dress and shoes by Comme des Garcons,
Right: Jacket and gloves by Rodarte pants by Phi, boots by Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte

I am kind of insane about how both of these are set up. Like this really freaky twist on innocence and 1940s romance. In the first image the girls eyes are looking at you, but not looking at you, and its triippinnggg me out.

Plus the girl with the camera in the second image! Like when people don't even look in the camera but just hold it up and click away? Yeah that's what it makes me think of. In a stalkery way.

Plus Edward Scissorhands is giving this weird look that on one angle is all deep and interested and on another angle is pretty much dead of emotion. And it's all so creepy and so so so beautiful.
 

This Atelier Versace dress took me almost a century to find because style.com did not have images of Versace's Fall 09 Couture collection (tre frustrating!) but I managed to track it down.

Plus there were these, which I literally think I am incapable of not showing you

(Sleeves. Loww back. Not breathing.)

Even without the scissor-hand-thing happening, this is soo very Tim Burton. And I like the block hair colours they did.

And then there are the Louis Vuitton boots. Ohhh Marc. Why is it I can be so bored by your own Marc Jacobs line, but when it comes to Louis Vuitton you make me so blissful? Like fairy floss. But this is like hardcore-punk-Ima-gonna-kick-you-with-my-six-inch-tie-ups kind of fairy floss. In black.

In other news, if you have not seen the entire Louis Vuitton Fall 09 collection, I seriously suggest you be checking that shizzay, because I loved it a lot.Especially the outfit Lily Donaldson was wearing.

Gown with jacket and boots by Nina Ricci, gloves by Carolina Amato, tights by Falke
 

OHH this dress.

It goes from salsa-dancing-in-havana to bleeding-eyes and appropriate-in-skeletons-company really really quickly. Too quickly...

No just kidding and YES the lighting is shades darker in the editorial (exactly what I was thinking!) and the detail in the jacket does get lost (you know me too well). 

The point is that this Nina Ricci Fall 09 collection (I have to keep saying collection because '09' and 'line' rhymes, and that sort of thing troubles me) is utterly amazing and I loveddddddd the bottom of the dresses and I'm still unsure how I am managing to talk about what I thought of the editorial with what I thought of the fashion lines from the clothes that were in the editorial? Because honestly it seems like a bad idea.

BUT HERE'S SOME PICTURES FOR YOUR PERUSAL ANYWAY?

If it would not utterly destroy the dresses, I would diieeeee to see the models knee deep in water and just have the tails floating behind them, like in a wedding. And the water curving in the pattern of the dresses. Yaknow!?

Dress and sandals by Givenchy, tights by Gerbe, headpiece by Philip Treacy for Alexander McQueen (of course)

THIS. OUTFIT. Frankly I don't care if Anna Wintour herself decided this was the ugliest collaboration she'd ever seen in her life and threw up in Riccardo Tisci's face (which is pretty much a metaphor for her pinching her lips) I will never ever not support it. And I need to make it ASAP. By whatever means necessary (didn't that sound creepy! New year's resolution here we come).

And the mummy standing next to her is ingenious. Hand-on-shoulder like oh-let's-get-our-picture-taken, no-big-deal and oh-yeah-my-eye-make-up-does-start-at-my-eyebrows-what-of-it. THERE IS A LOT OF MIND BLOWING HAPPENING OVER HERE RIGHT NOW.

AND back to the outfit I am so utterly suprised Comme de Garcons did not make this! Givenchy of all brands! This is pure Ricardo perfection and I think Givenchy needs to stop compromising his talent for marketable reasons because the rest of this line was kiinddd of flop and it destroys my soul.

Dress, hat and boots by Alexander McQueen, gloves by Giorgio Armani

 Oh Lee. Fuck I'm going to cry.

Basically Alexander had this way of making clothes into everything they are not and everything they can be. And everything they should be. It's like art work. It's like seeing Claude Monet's 'La Promenade' get up and walk down the runway. It's never not stolen my breath.

Jacket (top) by Jean Paul, jacket (underneath) and skirt by Balmain, headpiece by Shona Heath, fishnets by Wolford, shoes by Nina Ricci

Okay. Ummm yes the Nina Ricci shoes.

Firstly, yes, the physics of these shoes are beyond me! And secondly, yes, I am extremely bitter about Olivier Theyskens being replaced at Nina Ricci! Because frankly it's bullying. Nina just bullying Olivier because he is a bit different. AND AWESOME. Jealousy?

Whatever, I should formally introduce you to one of the three greatest platform shoes I have ever seen (also, Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 and Gabrielle Marina Gonzalez Fall 2010).

And I don't understand why Olivier can't just go up to Nina Ricci and be like 'YA KNOW WHAT MAYTE YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE FIRED ME' and then when they say 'Why?' he can just slam a pair of these babies down and be like 'CASE AN' POYNT'.*

*I don't know why I'm assuming he talks like this? Probably just trying to be humorous.

Dress and hat by Chanel, latex stockings by Atsuko Kudo

OH WOW CHANEL AND TIM BURTON AND TIM WALKER. DON'T FREAK OUT ONLY THREE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITES SMASHING IT OUT TOGETHER. NO BIG DEAL. EXCEPT MY HEART STOPPED.

Seriously, this is amazing. Ya know just casually chilling in with the grass and such.

And I really need to invest in latex stockings? Even though they have so much potential to go awry?

AND here is something of note, this dress is only from my FAVOURITE CHANEL LINE EVER. EVER. And it's been a hard choice. And the latest Chanel line has been stiff competition. But I literally cried when I saw the Chanel Fall 09 collection (see that, see how I didn't say line, and no, I won't bring it up every..when this happens)

SO. DA-DAHHHHHH!

This is the dress in the editorial.

Aaaand this is the hat...

And here are some more that you may consider a gift for your heart. And I could keep going because I actually do have the whole line saved on my hard drive but I should go to bed*

*this is a lie. I actually plan on showing you the whole line in a separate post at a later date.