Sean is not the guy for *THIS* job. No nineties archive could save this collection, an absolute insult. The CD of an already established house HAS to have, in-mind, the brands set ethos. If this means the designer has to reference a previous designers oeuvre, or archive, this is fine. Peerless, actually. We saw this with Sarah Burton's magnificent 2014 show which referenced greatly two former McQueen shows (Highland Rape & In Memory of Elizabeth Howe, Salem 1692). But to take many individual pieces significant by completely different timelines of McQueen's' antiquity, regenerate them for an inaugural collection (arguably his most important one) THEN have it that the collection looks no different to that of Givenchy, Coperni etc, for the said show to merely have parachute polyester stuck the wall sides with a random man (was this Sean?) running into shot was just mind-blowingly ridiculous. McQueen is intricacy, McQueen in many ways IS a depression. Nobody runs to McQueen hunting for Dior. McQueen isn't utopic, It's quite the opposite, but people admire McQueen for this.
As much as I love Sean, believe he's a sweet guy and wanted him to thrive in this position, sadly it's evident that he is not the right person for this position. He failed to understand and interpret the DNA of the house. In Suzy interview he came across as completely clueless. His interpretation is at the student exercise level, whereas a person with strong vision and instinct is needed. As many have voiced, there's no shame in shutting down the house. Sarah kept the connection to Lee alive as she lived McQueen for decades. She kept McQueen DNA alive, respectfully and in her own way. McQueen rebranding is personal and emotional because his contemporaries are still alive and current, he's not a figure who lived 100 years ago so that his essence can be totally removed from his house name. Instead of chasing revenue, owners should honestly ask themselves what would Lee say about this. Show respect to Lee's memory.
Indeed, Suzy's interview exposed that this was a JW Anderson collection on body constriction. Like when you realise 1 hour before hand in that your school holiday project was wrong and you try to blag it to fit the brief. Embarrassing.
I really appreciate the honesty of this critique and I completely agree with them. As a designer this was an upsetting show to see. I would kill for this job!!
When I think of McQueen some of the motifs that come to mind are of course the impeccable tailoring, detailed embellishments, intricate pattern prints, clothing that accentuates the body, with experimental cuts and tailoring, bringing many different types of couture design together to sing a beautiful symphony. I primarily identify with McQueen because some aspects of his life intersect with areas of my life. Knowing that he had a tumultuous life from a young age from a disinterested father figure, to being bullied as a kid, to having addiction present in his life, among other things made the brand relatable to me. As I have had a life that hasn’t been the most beautiful from a lot of the same reasons as Lee. However what inspired me from this brand was that despite all the tragedies in life, you can still find/make beauty from the darkest places. And although even after his passing, Sarah’s vision was lighter, I believed she honored the brand to the best of her ability (And might I say did it beautifully). Yes maybe there was less theatrics, less of a story with her shows; however at least there was some type of story with each show even if not theatrically played out, the shows would carry a theme. This most recent show, I saw no theme, I saw none of the beautiful couture staples that I see McQueen being known for, and more importantly as a consumer of McQueen I didn’t see myself in it. None of the whimsical beauty, fantasy, nothing that jumped out as awe inspiring. There’s nothing I’d be interested in buying. There’s no poetry, there’s no connection…. In addition it appeared as though the fabrics were cheaper from what we’re used to seeing from McQueen, which then leads to thoughts of lack of sustainability in the brand. Because typically with cheaper fabrics they are more synthetic which brings the whole micro plastics thing to the forefront… I own more McQueen than any other single designer, however if things continue going this direction I might just try to make my own clothes to the best of my capabilities using materials and techniques that I expect to see from McQueen; At least that way I can wear something that feels true, oppose to something that feels like a hollow shell representation of only a memory.
Hi Hetty… I think the Neon is referring to the spray paint (more so the colour) on the dress Shalom wore in the No.13 show finale ss1999 with the robots. Or at-least that what’s I thought that was in ref to when I saw it xx
Loved the honesty here and you're both spot on. It was a really disappointing and I watched it online and as soon as the first look came out, i thought oh dear. The choice of models also was really off. I understand Sarah took McQueen to a more grown up audience, and it was at times a bit boring, this collection has just gone from A-Z. I don't want to hang Seán as it's a pretty impossible task being the outsider, however I was so surprised he was hired. Such an iconic brand needed a strong, confident designer. I always thought Riccardo Tisci or Olivier Theyskens would have fitted in much better. Kering made a huge mistake here which could damage the house. I do agree about letting brands rest. Sarah did a great job and changed the whole impression of McQueen, however maybe it's time to put it to sleep as it can never be what people want it to be . I do hope Seán can move on from this as it's been pretty brutal for him, and remember when Lee's first Givenchy Couture collection was panned by everyone, he turned it around. I really appreciate this honest review and thank you for these videos. They are precious
Thank you guys for being so honest and candid while still maintaining a well-informed and thoughtful approach to critiquing this collection. I feel like a lot of press have been beating around the bush with what they really think of the collection in order to not upset Kering...so this is quite refreshing. Moreover, it's all 100% correct. It does feel like he was set up to fail and I imagine McGirr is not in a happy place right now. But unfortunately, all of these things need to be said in order for there to be any chance of McQueen moving forward under him - or at all, quite frankly.
Sadly, I agree with everything you have said. I wanted so much that this would be a powerful collection, honouring the brand ethos and at the same time showing the beginning of an intelligent new vision riffing on Lee McQueen's intense thought process. Nobody is looking for a tribute brand; Sarah certainly did not deliver that. There did not appear to be a coherent thought behind this collection, nor even the consideration that however outlandish the garments/accessories (and god knows Lee had some) they should in some way be so divinely produced and beautiful looking on the body as to be desirable. I certainly did not find much that i desired here, and not for want of trying!
I am so glad i am not the only one who was very, very upset with this collection. I was so sad, mad and frustrated I wanted to cry. It was 30 minutes of my life I will never get back. I agree with everything you guys are saying and he also said that he he didn't have time to look at the archives before starting to design teh colection and it shows!!! It was very surface, very superficial, very lazy. Let's see what he comes up with next season...if he's still there. Finally, I think they should have chosen a woman for the job; it would have been more successful.
honestly, everyone knows mcqueen front to back. i think it's even better, in the case of mcqueen, not to look too much at the archives. lack of knowledge was not the problem with the show.
Collection is not thought through, feels flat and unfortunately very lost. We can see more references to other brands like Balenciaga and Loewe with the oversize footwear and giant knitwear. Very little of classic Lee McQueen tailoring on the sight. We can only hope that Sean McGirr dives dipper in archives for the next collection and brings back the storytelling with the beautiful tailored clothes.
I agree. The show highlights two things: 1. Sean is a talent, with a mindset similarly to other current designers. 2. He is absolutely not right for McQueen, they should let him go.
Exactly. It's too reminiscent of what other houses are doing. I would never have guessed he was designing for McQueen if you just showed me the collection without telling me anything.
I thought I liked the collection and I wasn’t sure what it was exactly that I was liking, until I watched your guys take on it. It was the inspiration that he used which had me nostalgic about what Lee did, and now I understand the reasons why I was left with feeling a little depressed about the overall mood of the collection with the notes you both covered in this discussion. Thank you again for this clarity and reminding us of just how kind and great Lee was. I also feel like we should “burn it down”
There is room here for his growth in his new role. The house has a strong , identifiable , unique , beautiful and recognisable garments. What he delivered already exists in other brands and I believe that was why it was ssoo disappointing. Nothing McQueen came through. He has room for growth and hopefully he has done alot of major research and inhouse depth to the house of Alexander McQueen. Wish him the best.
1/2 it was so bad, people had to come to seán's defense: "he only had 3 months". alessandro michele really raised the bar for all, but other people have proved that 3 months is doable.
Fashion isn’t art anymore it’s nothing but business hence why they wanna appeal to the young consumer who can easily advertise their product on social media, exactly what McQueen hated and had issues with the fashion industry
This is a highly nuanced and educated critique of an awful debut. Why not shutter those brands and simply move on? Just look at what happened to Helmut, Martin, Ann, etc...
Arghhhh! 😤I'm so angry! (lol) This whole thing they're doing to Lee's legacy is nothing but tragic 💔 And what is this whole "maybe they're trying to target a younger consumer" thing about!? There's been so many young people wearing McQueen under Sarah's lead so why the need to basically re-brand the whole house? I don't think that's a valid excuse... it makes no sense! As we know modern Balenciaga is an absolute disaster and whatever Cristobal created was entirely destroyed. They kept the name but there's literally nothing left of its spirit and I'm afraid that's what's going to happen to McQueen. It's better if they shut it all down before they kill it even more😮💨
Same thing with virgil tbh, off white was a brand that only people with virgil sensibilities would get now they’ve turned it into some hype brand to make make nonsensical clothing as an excuse
if this was McQ making a runway show i would receive it way better. his comments on the collection are strange as well. i feel like erasure of Sarah’s McQueen is also sad. why not pull from what she’s done also? i guess we’ll wait for the second collection?
Its not hard. You just need to employe a designer that has a romantic approach with the story telling element. I do not believe that there is not a designer out there that cannot bring out the fantasy and make us dream again. Plus would kerring even give that much fredoom to a designer to do so. It is the old argument of art over commerce again. Lee's shows involved many hours of craft to produce those couture pieces but he never made same amount of money as the commercial brands. I would love an oportunity like this but I am not in the position for a company like this to consider someone like me. You almost need a movie director to colaborate with a designer if you want a true Lee spectacle.
I love the hoof shoes. I had such an unpleasant reaction when I saw them at first but i see the appeal. This collection was underwhelming but I'm keen to see what else he does. The critique about Mcqueen not being a denim brand was so weird, Tailoring at McQueen is the main girl, but many other girls exist too. He loved pretty dresses in some odd way and all of those are aspects of the brand. I wish I saw a few pretty moments but there were none. His rationale was aloof. . Hated the tied jeans, hated so many moments. The styling was frustrating. It wasnt edited well imo, the sequencing didnt convince me either. I expected a bit more. They shouldve skipped this season. I would love to see more gorgeously arresting moments of Mcqueen in his prime. If hes going to archive I'd suggest archiving from 1998 till 2010 when he became more established.
the interview with him was literally like talking to a begginer designer in school… who had no idea behind the collection. he told that the „broken iphone” was the inspo… nothing behind it. just a phone… wtf… he was answering questions the most generoc way…
thank you. that's all i'll say. just thank you are articulating so much of the 'discontent' but in a discerning way, that was able to open up where the upset in what was 'upsetting' about this .. caricature, lay.
Yes I agree wholeheartedly! I am in the middle of an art course and this resonated with me, because so much of what you were describing here, is what I learned about: and where real art comes alive; authenticity and a clear focus is so paramount. Thank you for this review. I found it really interesting to listen to.
The only reason for the use of "leopard" that come to my mind is Givenchy's Lady Leopard collection, but I'm not sure 'cos is totally different. As well as the neon Green which is something that was present In Givenchy Collections like an outfit from The HC collection: Elect Dissect and the Givenchy FW 2001. I totally agree with both of you: it was nos focus and it was a a big mood board of Lee's McQueen but also Sarah's and as I mention: Givenchy.
It’s a marketing collection and yes I totally agree that Macqueen himself would want his precious brand laid to rest & not exploited like this! Sarah would never have put out a collection like this… her ideas of femininity were so much more refined & subtle and her tailoring was exquisite… she fittingly hit the nail on the head every single time! What people like Kering should be doing is looking for the NEXT brilliant talented young designer with his or her own passionate expression and obvious talent and give them real air & money to express themselves because that is what Lee Macqueen the designer would want! There will never be another Lee Macqueen but there is someone just as brilliant currently being ignored because of the greed of these big players who control the entire industry to its huge DETRIMENT. I feel really sorry for this Irish designer who I’m sure has his own codes he would love to pursue but this was a real square peg forced into a round hole 🕳️ moment! It makes me feel sad and depressed & hopeless for the direction the fashion industry is taking because of the GREED of Kering & LVMH, which is pure blatant consumerism as prices skyrocket and quality is in the cookie cutter toilet 🚻!!
You used the word upsetting, and that how it felt flipping through the show. I just thought, well, McQueen is done, and that’s quite sad. I grew up in wonder looking at McQueens collections, and he and a few other designers….but especially McQueen, ignited my love and obsession with fashion. I know he just had a few months, and hopefully things get better, but McQueen as we knew it, both under Lee and also Sarah’s wonderful, brilliant and respectful collections, are just done. It’s quite a sad time.
This was the first runway show I'd ever watched live from Alexander McQueen as a young designer and I felt like I was wrong for not liking it. However I took lots of time evaluating McQueens work and noticed no correlations to McQueen or Burtons work.
i would have rather never seen this collection, honestly. i feel terrible that you both had to be in attendance! hopefully you didnt miss out on any other shows because of it .
i totally agree on your analysis... it is difficult to be a strong designer after Lee and Sarah but sometimes wanting to bring a new energy into a label is NOT a good move.Lee was all about new rough ideas ,emotions... you can't make a new line because the owner of the label says that you should. This collection has no soul , no identity, ground new ideas...and no esthetics ! It instead has taken ideas from many brands and not at all from Mc Queen. Sean is not the man for this label , and if he would continue he will struggle and we will therefore put the label into the group of labels which don't matter anymore. Sad
He really was in an impossible situation. Taking over from Sarah a loved designer who was with the brand for so many years. I am sure the owners of the brand gave him the brief to make the brand younger and more accessible. Those two factors are impossible to achieve in one season. He needs time to grow at the brand.
2/2 all he needed to do - specially with little time - was to choose one thing. for me, wools and themes of protection were the strongest ones - nevermind if it reminds you of loewe. and a shapeless mcqueen collection would be something indeed unique.
I did like it. All this expectations, that it had or has to be subversive, it’s BS. Probably isn’t the moment, and hopefully will get better. The last designer was much better towards the end, and she was the right hand. Hope it will become great, it has all potential to be.
For me, the show didn't have to be subversive whatsoever. But it had to be McQueen, which it wasn't. It was McGirr - and that's not his job. His job is to marry both. The garments to the end were paying homage to his car-designing father, completely irrelevant.
TBH Sean’s design is not bad, in some point , his design is good. The only problem is that his design is out of the spirit of McQueen and just simply showed the surface of McQueen. Hopefully he would reach the soul of this house ASAP
This was just horrid no other words for it. It all looked as if the SHEIN/Alibaba AI was directed to make a “collab” between archival McQueen and JWAnderson from three seasons ago. Kerring really needs to get a new HR department because all of these last new hires have been horrid, Gucci is also being plunged into mediocrity by its new creative director. These new hires have neither creativity and most certainly not direction. The references where so gauche and tired like he literally just opened his google app scrolled over the image tab and typed in 90s Alexander McQueen, there’s no understanding theres nothing about the tailoring or the pattern of the dresses. The use of synthetic fabric is also violently jarring considering the price tag Lee himself always tired to use the best fabric and when he did use synthetics they were cut and crafted in a way that elevated them. Nothing here was elevated on the contrary it seemed that even the tailoring which one would assume would be wool looks worse than a Zara poly blend knock off. The comments about the east end of London are also “misplaced” to be diplomatic, you work for a billion euro conglomerate why are you trying to reference the plight of the working class?! Lee’s harsh upbringing is not a mood board one uses to try to sell four thousand euro blazers. There is just this total disconnect from reality. He said he wants to find a new McQueen costumer, well what about the old one?! I can’t imagine any of the people that went to Sarah for beautiful tea length gowns are going to buy neon line green sweaters. The horse hove shoes where just the cherry on top of shit sundae, it truly was giving FIT design student goes to a Lady Gaga concert in 2014.
I don’t understand the boots that are meant to look like a horse hoof. 10:42 And yet from the side, they don’t. But there’s no denying that’s what they look like. And how does it tie in with the collection other than kind of sort of the same colour of some of the other outfits. Confusing.
Let's be honest: It wasn't good, nor up to the brand's name. Okay, it's gone. It's very rare to get it right on debut, on anything. It looked like Demna's Balenciaga (which isn't a good thing). However, it is ONLY the first collection. I hope the boy can overcome himself and come back better in the next collection. Is life. ;)
Can someone please explain me the process of choosing the new creative director? Like did not the owners of McQueen discuss with McGirr their vision and direction of the brand and also his vision? Cause if this was his presentation of McQueen i personaly wouldnt hire him. Also not to mention the whole team of the ateliers making these looks, like they were making the most exqusite gowns, sharp tailoring, embroidery, prints etc... and now they had to make this?! Its just the absolute disrace.
Feel like listening to 2 people who studied fashion or similar, not able to create their own fashion outlets successfully, turn themselves into fashion critics or some sort of historian. There are just too many like these 2 in the fashion industry. Stop 🛑 talking people work down and implied you can do better by changing this or that. Stop the criticism on other people creations, SHOW US what YOU can create. Let your own work speaks for itself. Too many artists (fashion in particular) gone into deep stress and depression because of these sofa critics slamming and correcting other people work while they don’t have NOTHING to show. Even if you do for 1 season, each couture house needs to produce several a year! The immense pressure to keep up, and make sure the garments will sell are intense stress on the designers (most are still young) and the whole team behind it! Have some decency and respect, show us your own creations first before criticising others. I am no artist at all, even I am willing to pay more respect to each. By the way, totally not convince your suggestions will help unless you have sold a few of your own products successfully first.
i have been watching fashionroadman's review of it and sometimes i just want to cry. not because it's mcqueen (maybe a little) but because it's so bad. and no lack of time can justify it
Love this ,honest review, ❤/ to those offended or hurt/ a honest review like this is a dose of truth the designer needs ❤, his @SS kissers wont tell him the truth
The collection isn't McQueen, it's an insult. Loving the collection is fine, some pieces aren't bad, but they're not McQueen, which is why it doesn't make sense to a lot of us who have followed the brand since the early nineties.
it just looks literally like JWanderson tried to make it… this designer has literally no identity himself. the bulky hoof heels. the bulky dresses. mc queen would never release those proportions
I’m sure he could step it up, but this collection does have the Mqween style. It just ugly. It looks like a collection that from some college student is showing for his finals.
I think people are coming down a bit too hard on Sean. During the first collection by Sarah Burton I remember feeling similar emotions of indignation at the fact that it was not an exact facsimile of Lee’s work: it was too soft, safe and controlled - I felt Burton lacked the severe raw madness of Lee. But over time her direction ended up reflecting the sharpness of McQueen tailoring, creating some of the most beautiful clothing I have ever seen - but she was his right hand! So given all that it’s perhaps the same cycle with McGirr - people are yearning for this guy to give McQueen + Burton. The collection was fine but not spectacular (neither were all of McQueen or Burton’s). People will learn from their mistakes and perhaps in the future, McGirr will find his own facet of the McQueen legacy to honour. (McQueen was the L’enfant Terrible that got everyone talking … and look what we are doing here now …)
Burton's first collection for the house had Lee in mind throughout, it arguably wasn't her best, but there was a cohesive respect in each garment which was her job as CD of the house. The brand is *ALEXANDER MCQUEEN* it wasn't *SARAH BURTON* and it's not *SEAN MCGIRR* McGirr's job was to keep in mind the brands ethos, but inject his own aesthetic. I applaud change, I am happy with a twist, we didn't need as a consumer a continual of what McQueen/Burton gave us- Instead, he thoughtlessly threw together a clusterfuck of designs we have already seen, made them look cheap, the set was awful. He then contradicted himself by saying he didn't want the house to be "depressing" then staged the show underneath a darkened, dingy carpark; gave us 90s McQueen depressive grunge. He needs to find this *facet* quickly, if we go by what you say.
Let me get this straight. I’m listening to two Millennials who aren’t (as far as I can tell) wearing McQueen and are shooting their segment in the back of a hired car. Instead of having the designer present in a studio and asking intelligent fashion questions about the vision of the designer and the collection they give their opinion(s) and pepper it with statements like “lack of a subversive attitude?” Wow ShowStudio has really, really fallen at one time they were leading fashion journalism. This is just whiny garbage that needs to be binned.
Yeah, I find it kind of unprofessional that they shoot these reviews in the back of a car. I get it, there's not much time during fashion week to sit down and talk, but it just makes the whole thing so flippant. I don't see why they can't slot in some time to properly evaluate the collection.
8:40 I think you’re massively misinterpreting him here, I don’t think he’s referring to Lee‘s depression, but saying he doesn’t want to continue the somber elegiac tone that the house took on after his death. The collection was a fresh start and I imagine Lee smiling at all the overly sensitive kids getting upset over this collection. Overall I think the collection had too many ideas and would benefit from an edit, but I like the energy and attitude he brings.
*The collection was a fresh start and I imagine Lee smiling at all the overly sensitive kids getting upset over this collection* I will laugh at this all day, it was a shitshow. Lee would be shitting all over it.
The entire mesh, and collage of different concepts did not flow well at all!!! There were five pieces at most, out of this collection that slightly resembles McQueen. Hoodies, ugly leopard prints, and the final three looks that completed the collection, just awful. Bring back the butt crack jeans!👖 Mini pizzas resemble streetwear. McQueen does not represent hoodies and streetwear. Not to mention the soundtrack. The soundtrack for the show doesn't fit the garments. Complete lack of direction
"there is not going to be another Lee... but Lee would have done it in a different way" ,,, make up your mind guys... that was a very interesting collection and i agree on few point with u but this brand needed this collection, a disruptive one, and if you take each pieces they are actually very sellable compared to the previous seasons (S Burton) which were boring AF and obviously making losses.
this brand needed *THIS* collection? A collection of designs similarly to many different designers? Get to fuck, honestly. You clearly don't respect the McQueen brand.
@@Mittl3r You didn't amend it clearly enough xx Each one of Burtons collections absolutely defecate all over this McGirr amateurish graduate show. Which seasons? xxx
@@rhyst124 Lee is dead , S Burtons did not sell hence the kick in the a*s and thi collection was needed and certainly we do not need a lecture from people like in this video who learnt the history of fashion from youtube.
Sarah should never leave the house, she did an amazing job since day one ahead of the house. Bot now I would say a questinable opinion: Think Tisci should be the head of Mcqueen 🫢
![[Sub Thai] APT. - ROSÉ & Bruno Mars](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bYjhzP8x_uc/mqdefault.jpg)
"It was just ugly" yup that sums it up completely. Appreciate you both voicing what so many of us spectators were thinking. This is not it.
Sean is not the guy for *THIS* job. No nineties archive could save this collection, an absolute insult. The CD of an already established house HAS to have, in-mind, the brands set ethos. If this means the designer has to reference a previous designers oeuvre, or archive, this is fine. Peerless, actually. We saw this with Sarah Burton's magnificent 2014 show which referenced greatly two former McQueen shows (Highland Rape & In Memory of Elizabeth Howe, Salem 1692). But to take many individual pieces significant by completely different timelines of McQueen's' antiquity, regenerate them for an inaugural collection (arguably his most important one) THEN have it that the collection looks no different to that of Givenchy, Coperni etc, for the said show to merely have parachute polyester stuck the wall sides with a random man (was this Sean?) running into shot was just mind-blowingly ridiculous. McQueen is intricacy, McQueen in many ways IS a depression. Nobody runs to McQueen hunting for Dior. McQueen isn't utopic, It's quite the opposite, but people admire McQueen for this.
Dilara Findikoglu is perfect for McQueen (I wish)
@@AA-xd9fg no. never. absolutely not. do some reading and educate yourself.
@@AA-xd9fg I would've preferred Josep Font, or Molly Goddard. Someone suggested Gareth Pugh, also.
Well said!
As much as I love Sean, believe he's a sweet guy and wanted him to thrive in this position, sadly it's evident that he is not the right person for this position.
He failed to understand and interpret the DNA of the house. In Suzy interview he came across as completely clueless.
His interpretation is at the student exercise level, whereas a person with strong vision and instinct is needed.
As many have voiced, there's no shame in shutting down the house.
Sarah kept the connection to Lee alive as she lived McQueen for decades. She kept McQueen DNA alive, respectfully and in her own way.
McQueen rebranding is personal and emotional because his contemporaries are still alive and current, he's not a figure who lived 100 years ago so that his essence can be totally removed from his house name.
Instead of chasing revenue, owners should honestly ask themselves what would Lee say about this.
Show respect to Lee's memory.
I think secretly Suzy likes to through shade on designers. But yes I agree he did come across clueless.
Indeed, Suzy's interview exposed that this was a JW Anderson collection on body constriction. Like when you realise 1 hour before hand in that your school holiday project was wrong and you try to blag it to fit the brief.
Embarrassing.
Sean has proven with this show that he doesn't understand women, much less McQueen's women.
I really appreciate the honesty of this critique and I completely agree with them. As a designer this was an upsetting show to see. I would kill for this job!!
Go for it babe ,throw your hat in the ring
I love Hetty and Joshua's dynamic. Excellent discussion.
😂😂😂😂
When I think of McQueen some of the motifs that come to mind are of course the impeccable tailoring, detailed embellishments, intricate pattern prints, clothing that accentuates the body, with experimental cuts and tailoring, bringing many different types of couture design together to sing a beautiful symphony.
I primarily identify with McQueen because some aspects of his life intersect with areas of my life. Knowing that he had a tumultuous life from a young age from a disinterested father figure, to being bullied as a kid, to having addiction present in his life, among other things made the brand relatable to me. As I have had a life that hasn’t been the most beautiful from a lot of the same reasons as Lee. However what inspired me from this brand was that despite all the tragedies in life, you can still find/make beauty from the darkest places.
And although even after his passing, Sarah’s vision was lighter, I believed she honored the brand to the best of her ability (And might I say did it beautifully). Yes maybe there was less theatrics, less of a story with her shows; however at least there was some type of story with each show even if not theatrically played out, the shows would carry a theme.
This most recent show, I saw no theme, I saw none of the beautiful couture staples that I see McQueen being known for, and more importantly as a consumer of McQueen I didn’t see myself in it. None of the whimsical beauty, fantasy, nothing that jumped out as awe inspiring. There’s nothing I’d be interested in buying. There’s no poetry, there’s no connection….
In addition it appeared as though the fabrics were cheaper from what we’re used to seeing from McQueen, which then leads to thoughts of lack of sustainability in the brand. Because typically with cheaper fabrics they are more synthetic which brings the whole micro plastics thing to the forefront…
I own more McQueen than any other single designer, however if things continue going this direction I might just try to make my own clothes to the best of my capabilities using materials and techniques that I expect to see from McQueen; At least that way I can wear something that feels true, oppose to something that feels like a hollow shell representation of only a memory.
I agrée with every single word!
Hi Hetty… I think the Neon is referring to the spray paint (more so the colour) on the dress Shalom wore in the No.13 show finale ss1999 with the robots. Or at-least that what’s I thought that was in ref to when I saw it xx
Peeking into the Vogue article, Seán sounds like a quintessential Little Monster Millennial. More of a McQueen fan than a successor
Nothing says 'not wanting to be polite' like Enya's Orinoco Flow on full blast. 😂😂😂
LMFAO
Loved the honesty here and you're both spot on. It was a really disappointing and I watched it online and as soon as the first look came out, i thought oh dear.
The choice of models also was really off. I understand Sarah took McQueen to a more grown up audience, and it was at times a bit boring, this collection has just gone from A-Z.
I don't want to hang Seán as it's a pretty impossible task being the outsider, however I was so surprised he was hired. Such an iconic brand needed a strong, confident designer. I always thought Riccardo Tisci or Olivier Theyskens would have fitted in much better. Kering made a huge mistake here which could damage the house.
I do agree about letting brands rest. Sarah did a great job and changed the whole impression of McQueen, however maybe it's time to put it to sleep as it can never be what people want it to be . I do hope Seán can move on from this as it's been pretty brutal for him, and remember when Lee's first Givenchy Couture collection was panned by everyone, he turned it around.
I really appreciate this honest review and thank you for these videos. They are precious
Thank you guys for being so honest and candid while still maintaining a well-informed and thoughtful approach to critiquing this collection. I feel like a lot of press have been beating around the bush with what they really think of the collection in order to not upset Kering...so this is quite refreshing. Moreover, it's all 100% correct. It does feel like he was set up to fail and I imagine McGirr is not in a happy place right now. But unfortunately, all of these things need to be said in order for there to be any chance of McQueen moving forward under him - or at all, quite frankly.
Sadly, I agree with everything you have said. I wanted so much that this would be a powerful collection, honouring the brand ethos and at the same time showing the beginning of an intelligent new vision riffing on Lee McQueen's intense thought process. Nobody is looking for a tribute brand; Sarah certainly did not deliver that. There did not appear to be a coherent thought behind this collection, nor even the consideration that however outlandish the garments/accessories (and god knows Lee had some) they should in some way be so divinely produced and beautiful looking on the body as to be desirable. I certainly did not find much that i desired here, and not for want of trying!
A bad appointment at the house.
I am so glad i am not the only one who was very, very upset with this collection. I was so sad, mad and frustrated I wanted to cry. It was 30 minutes of my life I will never get back. I agree with everything you guys are saying and he also said that he he didn't have time to look at the archives before starting to design teh colection and it shows!!! It was very surface, very superficial, very lazy. Let's see what he comes up with next season...if he's still there. Finally, I think they should have chosen a woman for the job; it would have been more successful.
honestly, everyone knows mcqueen front to back. i think it's even better, in the case of mcqueen, not to look too much at the archives. lack of knowledge was not the problem with the show.
worst show of the season by far. absolutely horrid.
These two should be in the studio hosting longer talks as well. Would love to hear from CSM students and their thoughts on this collection
Fascinating breakdown of this collection. Confirms many of my suspicions.
Collection is not thought through, feels flat and unfortunately very lost. We can see more references to other brands like Balenciaga and Loewe with the oversize footwear and giant knitwear. Very little of classic Lee McQueen tailoring on the sight. We can only hope that Sean McGirr dives dipper in archives for the next collection and brings back the storytelling with the beautiful tailored clothes.
I agree. The show highlights two things: 1. Sean is a talent, with a mindset similarly to other current designers. 2. He is absolutely not right for McQueen, they should let him go.
Exactly. It's too reminiscent of what other houses are doing. I would never have guessed he was designing for McQueen if you just showed me the collection without telling me anything.
one point not addressed. the tailoring... was kind of bad?
I thought I liked the collection and I wasn’t sure what it was exactly that I was liking, until I watched your guys take on it. It was the inspiration that he used which had me nostalgic about what Lee did, and now I understand the reasons why I was left with feeling a little depressed about the overall mood of the collection with the notes you both covered in this discussion.
Thank you again for this clarity and reminding us of just how kind and great Lee was.
I also feel like we should “burn it down”
There is room here for his growth in his new role. The house has a strong , identifiable , unique , beautiful and recognisable garments. What he delivered already exists in other brands and I believe that was why it was ssoo disappointing. Nothing McQueen came through. He has room for growth and hopefully he has done alot of major research and inhouse depth to the house of Alexander McQueen. Wish him the best.
1/2 it was so bad, people had to come to seán's defense: "he only had 3 months". alessandro michele really raised the bar for all, but other people have proved that 3 months is doable.
Fashion isn’t art anymore it’s nothing but business hence why they wanna appeal to the young consumer who can easily advertise their product on social media, exactly what McQueen hated and had issues with the fashion industry
This is a highly nuanced and educated critique of an awful debut. Why not shutter those brands and simply move on? Just look at what happened to Helmut, Martin, Ann, etc...
Arghhhh! 😤I'm so angry! (lol) This whole thing they're doing to Lee's legacy is nothing but tragic 💔
And what is this whole "maybe they're trying to target a younger consumer" thing about!? There's been so many young people wearing McQueen under Sarah's lead so why the need to basically re-brand the whole house? I don't think that's a valid excuse... it makes no sense!
As we know modern Balenciaga is an absolute disaster and whatever Cristobal created was entirely destroyed. They kept the name but there's literally nothing left of its spirit and I'm afraid that's what's going to happen to McQueen. It's better if they shut it all down before they kill it even more😮💨
Oh, and the Blumarine world comment... 🤌🏽 haha!
Same thing with virgil tbh, off white was a brand that only people with virgil sensibilities would get now they’ve turned it into some hype brand to make make nonsensical clothing as an excuse
if this was McQ making a runway show i would receive it way better. his comments on the collection are strange as well. i feel like erasure of Sarah’s McQueen is also sad. why not pull from what she’s done also? i guess we’ll wait for the second collection?
That girl in neon just schlepping that bag across the floor. Atrocious….
what. the. hell. was. she. doing?
Its not hard. You just need to employe a designer that has a romantic approach with the story telling element. I do not believe that there is not a designer out there that cannot bring out the fantasy and make us dream again. Plus would kerring even give that much fredoom to a designer to do so. It is the old argument of art over commerce again. Lee's shows involved many hours of craft to produce those couture pieces but he never made same amount of money as the commercial brands.
I would love an oportunity like this but I am not in the position for a company like this to consider someone like me. You almost need a movie director to colaborate with a designer if you want a true Lee spectacle.
LESS IS MORE WHEN UNABLE TO DECIDE! BY THE WAY THAT HAIR COLOR LOOKS AMAZING!
I love the hoof shoes. I had such an unpleasant reaction when I saw them at first but i see the appeal. This collection was underwhelming but I'm keen to see what else he does. The critique about Mcqueen not being a denim brand was so weird, Tailoring at McQueen is the main girl, but many other girls exist too. He loved pretty dresses in some odd way and all of those are aspects of the brand. I wish I saw a few pretty moments but there were none. His rationale was aloof. . Hated the tied jeans, hated so many moments. The styling was frustrating. It wasnt edited well imo, the sequencing didnt convince me either. I expected a bit more. They shouldve skipped this season. I would love to see more gorgeously arresting moments of Mcqueen in his prime. If hes going to archive I'd suggest archiving from 1998 till 2010 when he became more established.
the sequencing was abhorrent, but i don't know if there's a right to sequence all those styles.
the interview with him was literally like talking to a begginer designer in school… who had no idea behind the collection. he told that the „broken iphone” was the inspo… nothing behind it. just a phone… wtf… he was answering questions the most generoc way…
thank you. that's all i'll say. just thank you are articulating so much of the 'discontent' but in a discerning way, that was able to open up where the upset in what was 'upsetting' about this .. caricature, lay.
Yes I agree wholeheartedly! I am in the middle of an art course and this resonated with me, because so much of what you were describing here, is what I learned about: and where real art comes alive; authenticity and a clear focus is so paramount. Thank you for this review. I found it really interesting to listen to.
The only reason for the use of "leopard" that come to my mind is Givenchy's Lady Leopard collection, but I'm not sure 'cos is totally different. As well as the neon Green which is something that was present In Givenchy Collections like an outfit from The HC collection: Elect Dissect and the Givenchy FW 2001. I totally agree with both of you: it was nos focus and it was a a big mood board of Lee's McQueen but also Sarah's and as I mention: Givenchy.
leopard is a current trend. like... high street current trend. i was shocked to see it.
This needed a panel my loves
It’s a marketing collection and yes I totally agree that Macqueen himself would want his precious brand laid to rest & not exploited like this! Sarah would never have put out a collection like this… her ideas of femininity were so much more refined & subtle and her tailoring was exquisite… she fittingly hit the nail on the head every single time! What people like Kering should be doing is looking for the NEXT brilliant talented young designer with his or her own passionate expression and obvious talent and give them real air & money to express themselves because that is what Lee Macqueen the designer would want! There will never be another Lee Macqueen but there is someone just as brilliant currently being ignored because of the greed of these big players who control the entire industry to its huge DETRIMENT. I feel really sorry for this Irish designer who I’m sure has his own codes he would love to pursue but this was a real square peg forced into a round hole 🕳️ moment! It makes me feel sad and depressed & hopeless for the direction the fashion industry is taking because of the GREED of Kering & LVMH, which is pure blatant consumerism as prices skyrocket and quality is in the cookie cutter toilet 🚻!!
McQueen is the most difficult job In fashion
You used the word upsetting, and that how it felt flipping through the show. I just thought, well, McQueen is done, and that’s quite sad. I grew up in wonder looking at McQueens collections, and he and a few other designers….but especially McQueen, ignited my love and obsession with fashion. I know he just had a few months, and hopefully things get better, but McQueen as we knew it, both under Lee and also Sarah’s wonderful, brilliant and respectful collections, are just done. It’s quite a sad time.
This was the first runway show I'd ever watched live from Alexander McQueen as a young designer and I felt like I was wrong for not liking it. However I took lots of time evaluating McQueens work and noticed no correlations to McQueen or Burtons work.
i would have rather never seen this collection, honestly. i feel terrible that you both had to be in attendance! hopefully you didnt miss out on any other shows because of it .
i totally agree on your analysis... it is difficult to be a strong designer after Lee and Sarah but sometimes wanting to bring a new energy into a label is NOT a good move.Lee was all about new rough ideas ,emotions... you can't make a new line because the owner of the label says that you should. This collection has no soul , no identity, ground new ideas...and no esthetics ! It instead has taken ideas from many brands and not at all from Mc Queen. Sean is not the man for this label , and if he would continue he will struggle and we will therefore put the label into the group of labels which don't matter anymore. Sad
He really was in an impossible situation. Taking over from Sarah a loved designer who was with the brand for so many years. I am sure the owners of the brand gave him the brief to make the brand younger and more accessible. Those two factors are impossible to achieve in one season. He needs time to grow at the brand.
no.
In hysterics over the new buzz word “Trope/s” in recent years. Sounding so affected unlike McQueen!
2/2 all he needed to do - specially with little time - was to choose one thing. for me, wools and themes of protection were the strongest ones - nevermind if it reminds you of loewe. and a shapeless mcqueen collection would be something indeed unique.
Can you review Givenchy FW24 Collection please ?
Sarah kept the house at couture levels - and then we got this. Never have I seen a misstep so bad in fashion, absolutely panned from everyone.
How can the show be both “upsetting” and “polite”?
The industry obsession for new and fresh just made another victim. With all due respect, it felt like McQueen on meds. Fashion doesn’t need that!
I did like it. All this expectations, that it had or has to be subversive, it’s BS. Probably isn’t the moment, and hopefully will get better. The last designer was much better towards the end, and she was the right hand. Hope it will become great, it has all potential to be.
For me, the show didn't have to be subversive whatsoever. But it had to be McQueen, which it wasn't. It was McGirr - and that's not his job. His job is to marry both. The garments to the end were paying homage to his car-designing father, completely irrelevant.
It was grubby, and he’s still a student frankly. How degrading
Pardon me , drinking mega pints of wine ,vodka, etcc.. sniff sniff...thinking of designers who took over a house ,and did it muy bueno ❤
TBH Sean’s design is not bad, in some point , his design is good. The only problem is that his design is out of the spirit of McQueen and just simply showed the surface of McQueen. Hopefully he would reach the soul of this house ASAP
Absolutely. He is a talent, one that should be nowhere near McQueen.
This was just horrid no other words for it. It all looked as if the SHEIN/Alibaba AI was directed to make a “collab” between archival McQueen and JWAnderson from three seasons ago. Kerring really needs to get a new HR department because all of these last new hires have been horrid, Gucci is also being plunged into mediocrity by its new creative director. These new hires have neither creativity and most certainly not direction. The references where so gauche and tired like he literally just opened his google app scrolled over the image tab and typed in 90s Alexander McQueen, there’s no understanding theres nothing about the tailoring or the pattern of the dresses. The use of synthetic fabric is also violently jarring considering the price tag Lee himself always tired to use the best fabric and when he did use synthetics they were cut and crafted in a way that elevated them. Nothing here was elevated on the contrary it seemed that even the tailoring which one would assume would be wool looks worse than a Zara poly blend knock off. The comments about the east end of London are also “misplaced” to be diplomatic, you work for a billion euro conglomerate why are you trying to reference the plight of the working class?! Lee’s harsh upbringing is not a mood board one uses to try to sell four thousand euro blazers. There is just this total disconnect from reality. He said he wants to find a new McQueen costumer, well what about the old one?! I can’t imagine any of the people that went to Sarah for beautiful tea length gowns are going to buy neon line green sweaters. The horse hove shoes where just the cherry on top of shit sundae, it truly was giving FIT design student goes to a Lady Gaga concert in 2014.
I don’t understand the boots that are meant to look like a horse hoof. 10:42 And yet from the side, they don’t. But there’s no denying that’s what they look like. And how does it tie in with the collection other than kind of sort of the same colour of some of the other outfits. Confusing.
Let's be honest: It wasn't good, nor up to the brand's name. Okay, it's gone. It's very rare to get it right on debut, on anything. It looked like Demna's Balenciaga (which isn't a good thing). However, it is ONLY the first collection. I hope the boy can overcome himself and come back better in the next collection. Is life. ;)
What in God's name made him choose this soundtrack?
it made everything worse! and then it stuck to my head. thank you for pointing it out.
Why did Sarah leave? I’m so sad!!
Can someone please explain me the process of choosing the new creative director? Like did not the owners of McQueen discuss with McGirr their vision and direction of the brand and also his vision? Cause if this was his presentation of McQueen i personaly wouldnt hire him. Also not to mention the whole team of the ateliers making these looks, like they were making the most exqusite gowns, sharp tailoring, embroidery, prints etc... and now they had to make this?! Its just the absolute disrace.
And Jeremy Scott/ i think moschino would had been thrilled ❤
Feel like listening to 2 people who studied fashion or similar, not able to create their own fashion outlets successfully, turn themselves into fashion critics or some sort of historian. There are just too many like these 2 in the fashion industry. Stop 🛑 talking people work down and implied you can do better by changing this or that. Stop the criticism on other people creations, SHOW US what YOU can create. Let your own work speaks for itself. Too many artists (fashion in particular) gone into deep stress and depression because of these sofa critics slamming and correcting other people work while they don’t have NOTHING to show. Even if you do for 1 season, each couture house needs to produce several a year! The immense pressure to keep up, and make sure the garments will sell are intense stress on the designers (most are still young) and the whole team behind it! Have some decency and respect, show us your own creations first before criticising others. I am no artist at all, even I am willing to pay more respect to each. By the way, totally not convince your suggestions will help unless you have sold a few of your own products successfully first.
i have been watching fashionroadman's review of it and sometimes i just want to cry. not because it's mcqueen (maybe a little) but because it's so bad.
and no lack of time can justify it
Sadly I agree with all that’s said.
yay, lets transform every brand in balenciaga! even though its 2024 and everyone is over it
Gareth Pugh will be a good choice for this house
and that campaign is AWFUL
Love this ,honest review, ❤/ to those offended or hurt/ a honest review like this is a dose of truth the designer needs ❤, his @SS kissers wont tell him the truth
I love this collection honestly....
why?
The collection isn't McQueen, it's an insult. Loving the collection is fine, some pieces aren't bad, but they're not McQueen, which is why it doesn't make sense to a lot of us who have followed the brand since the early nineties.
love it. be your own person! that's my advice to the new designer as well.
@@piercenigel4670 not at the expense of another house. "Sean McGirr" fine. But not Alexander McQueen. Be your own person elsewhere.
@@rhyst124 do you want people locked in glass boxes forever?
at least it’s not the boring SB designs . But that’s not great either
it just looks literally like JWanderson tried to make it… this designer has literally no identity himself. the bulky hoof heels. the bulky dresses. mc queen would never release those proportions
Sean’s McQueen is vom vom vom vom
Poorly thought out and badly executed.
This was painful to watch, a collection made up of existing trends and what boring rich people will spend money on.
if they don't spend their money somewhere else first
I’m sure he could step it up, but this collection does have the Mqween style. It just ugly. It looks like a collection that from some college student is showing for his finals.
I loved it - other shows were a letdown for me - Tom Ford, YSL, Yohji, Chanel...
you're a very hopeful person, if you still expect anything from chanel.
I think people are coming down a bit too hard on Sean. During the first collection by Sarah Burton I remember feeling similar emotions of indignation at the fact that it was not an exact facsimile of Lee’s work: it was too soft, safe and controlled - I felt Burton lacked the severe raw madness of Lee. But over time her direction ended up reflecting the sharpness of McQueen tailoring, creating some of the most beautiful clothing I have ever seen - but she was his right hand! So given all that it’s perhaps the same cycle with McGirr - people are yearning for this guy to give McQueen + Burton. The collection was fine but not spectacular (neither were all of McQueen or Burton’s). People will learn from their mistakes and perhaps in the future, McGirr will find his own facet of the McQueen legacy to honour. (McQueen was the L’enfant Terrible that got everyone talking … and look what we are doing here now …)
Burton's first collection for the house had Lee in mind throughout, it arguably wasn't her best, but there was a cohesive respect in each garment which was her job as CD of the house. The brand is *ALEXANDER MCQUEEN* it wasn't *SARAH BURTON* and it's not *SEAN MCGIRR* McGirr's job was to keep in mind the brands ethos, but inject his own aesthetic. I applaud change, I am happy with a twist, we didn't need as a consumer a continual of what McQueen/Burton gave us- Instead, he thoughtlessly threw together a clusterfuck of designs we have already seen, made them look cheap, the set was awful. He then contradicted himself by saying he didn't want the house to be "depressing" then staged the show underneath a darkened, dingy carpark; gave us 90s McQueen depressive grunge. He needs to find this *facet* quickly, if we go by what you say.
McQueen now needs to be fashion fantasy, this was not it.
Fashion Design Editing for Mr Lee Alexander Mc'Queen done by me today to help with how his creative art work looks on this site today!
Iris van harpen is the designer for this house
absolutely not
Let me get this straight. I’m listening to two Millennials who aren’t (as far as I can tell) wearing McQueen and are shooting their segment in the back of a hired car. Instead of having the designer present in a studio and asking intelligent fashion questions about the vision of the designer and the collection they give their opinion(s) and pepper it with statements like “lack of a subversive attitude?” Wow ShowStudio has really, really fallen at one time they were leading fashion journalism. This is just whiny garbage that needs to be binned.
what tf are you on about
Yeah, I find it kind of unprofessional that they shoot these reviews in the back of a car. I get it, there's not much time during fashion week to sit down and talk, but it just makes the whole thing so flippant. I don't see why they can't slot in some time to properly evaluate the collection.
from what generation should people be in order to do fashion critique?
8:40 I think you’re massively misinterpreting him here, I don’t think he’s referring to Lee‘s depression, but saying he doesn’t want to continue the somber elegiac tone that the house took on after his death. The collection was a fresh start and I imagine Lee smiling at all the overly sensitive kids getting upset over this collection. Overall I think the collection had too many ideas and would benefit from an edit, but I like the energy and attitude he brings.
*The collection was a fresh start and I imagine Lee smiling at all the overly sensitive kids getting upset over this collection* I will laugh at this all day, it was a shitshow. Lee would be shitting all over it.
you can't feel anything but anger at this appalling show. A complete and utter insult at what Alexander McQueen is. Very disappointing!
The entire mesh, and collage of different concepts did not flow well at all!!!
There were five pieces at most, out of this collection that slightly resembles McQueen.
Hoodies, ugly leopard prints, and the final three looks that completed the collection, just awful.
Bring back the butt crack jeans!👖
Mini pizzas resemble streetwear.
McQueen does not represent hoodies and streetwear.
Not to mention the soundtrack.
The soundtrack for the show doesn't fit the garments.
Complete lack of direction
Really enjoying Hettys reviews but the way she repeatedly says “kind of” after every other word is stressing me out 😩 I doubt she realizes it but omg
Bit ‘arsh
C'était nul, qu'il dégage merci.
Pedestrians.
"there is not going to be another Lee... but Lee would have done it in a different way" ,,, make up your mind guys... that was a very interesting collection and i agree on few point with u but this brand needed this collection, a disruptive one, and if you take each pieces they are actually very sellable compared to the previous seasons (S Burton) which were boring AF and obviously making losses.
this brand needed *THIS* collection? A collection of designs similarly to many different designers? Get to fuck, honestly. You clearly don't respect the McQueen brand.
*compared to the previous seasons which were boring AF* Which ones? So I can lead you to the bullshit he helped at JW Anderson.
@@rhyst124 amended my comment so you understand better x
@@Mittl3r You didn't amend it clearly enough xx Each one of Burtons collections absolutely defecate all over this McGirr amateurish graduate show. Which seasons? xxx
@@rhyst124 Lee is dead , S Burtons did not sell hence the kick in the a*s and thi collection was needed and certainly we do not need a lecture from people like in this video who learnt the history of fashion from youtube.
Sarah should never leave the house, she did an amazing job since day one ahead of the house. Bot now I would say a questinable opinion: Think Tisci should be the head of Mcqueen 🫢
Can you review Givenchy FW24 Collection please ?