Alexander McQueen's beauty and power study for Pre Fall 2023

For Alexander McQueen's Pre Fall 2023 collection, Artistic Director Sarah Burton decided to ask herself what connects beauty with power. Retaining the sartorial geometry of her last collections, this womenswear collection plays with sharp lines of proportion and colour, taking inspiration from the great classics but overturning their stylistic codes. The looks are elegant and precious in their packaging, but express through engravings and metal inserts, bright colours and crystals the avant-garde freshness signed McQueen. Some ensembles wrap the body tightly, like the body-con dress with a zip slit, others play with leather and jersey, gathering the fabric at the hips, shoulders and sleeves, bringing attention to a slouchy waistline. Floral motifs fill dresses and jumpers with colour, in red, yellow, pink and orange, while some garments, such as the biker jacket and biker skirt, mix the modern with the past with black and white tweed set alongside shiny leather.

The new handbag and shoe proposals take their cues a little from punk, a little from 1920s-esque shimmer. The Biker Jewelled Satchel in red, black, or tweed leather is decorated with metal studs, the Seal Black uses ivory and quilted leather, and then the crystal Knuckle clutch with extreme glitz, elevated by golden beads and colourful embroidery like the Sock boots in black or red viscose knit. This Autumn McQueen then added thigh-high boots with zips and engravings, eye-catching sandals, heels and mules with metal toes, and silver and black patent leather jewellery, such as chokers and ear cuffs. Alexander McQueen's Pre Fall 2023 campaign was shot by photographer David Sims, and features Karolina Spakowski, Celina Ralph, Sora Choi, Alaato Jazyper, Amanda Murphy, Florence Huntington-Whiteley, Florence Hutchings, Élise Crombez, Colin Jones, Rejoice Chuol, Wang Han, Wanessa Milhomem and Adhel Bol posing.