Alexander McQueen ‘Savage Beauty’ at the V&A

Throughout history, an individual has emerges on occasion with extraordinary talent; visionaries as it were, whose ability to see beyond revolutionises and inspires the medium upon which they traverse- shifting the very perimeters of modern culture.

McQueen not only produced beautifully crafted designs but most importantly so, never failed to infuse with a breath of creative, intellectual underpinning. His collections were inspired by narrative, history, heritage and philosophy, with a reference to the duality ‘between life and death, happiness and sadness, good and evil’; aspects so poignant to humanity. He has become an immortalised entity, a godlike presence within the fashion world, much like the characters in history he so wondrously explored.

Much like an immortalised Da Vinci painting or grand Renaissance altarpiece, his work stirs something deep within when witnessed in person. In a way that fashion had never quite reached prior to his arrival, each collection feels as though one is looking into windows of his soul, exploring philosophical concepts through a pastiche of history; hidden within the seams of exquisite tailoring and theatrical grandiose.

Every detail is meticulously researched, for example, the purple corset in his ‘Dante’ collection (the author of ‘Divine Comedy, an allegorical vision of the afterlife in the 14th century) it’s soft purple tone deliberately selected as the colour of victorian half mourning. In his SS07 collection ‘Sarabande’, he featured a dress made of real flowers, their petals falling to the floor as their purpose has come to an end, much like fashion towards the end of each season and more philosophically, the transience of life itself- exploring the parallels of dark romanticism and his ‘romantic schizophrenic’ outlook.

McQueen also referenced the mundane, illustrated in his hyper theatrical SS01 ‘VOSS’ show featuring a razor-clam shell dress, the shells stumbled upon by McQueen himself along a beach in Norfolk. In ’The Girl Who Lived in a Tree’, the spectacular set centred upon a large twisted tree inspired by a 600 year old elm tree in the garden of his East Sussex home. In response to an interview question, his creative stimuli derives ‘from Degas and Monet and my sister in Dagenham’.

Whispers of homecoming echo amongst the fashion press for ‘Savage Beauty’; the retrospective originated by the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, following the entire breadth his illustrious career; from meteoric rise to melancholic end. This is without a doubt, the exhibition of the year. 

Paris 1900: The City of Entertainment

The Petit Palais is a special venue. Not only for the striking architecture and works of art within the building; on this occasion, it's history and relationship to new exhibition, 'Paris 1900 The City of Entertainment'. The Petit Palais (and the Grand Palais opposite) was built for 'L'exposition Universelle' in 1900; a world fair celebrating the achievement within machinery, architecture and invention; anticipating a prosperous future at the dawn of the 20th century. During this celebration, 50 million visited from France, Europe and across the seas, witnessing highlights such as the Eiffel Tower and newly built Metro underground.

The exhibition at Petit Palais covers many components of this era; introduced by advertorial posters, illustrations of the plans and the very first paintings of L'exposition Universelle, further enriched throughout the exhibition with the most significant forms of fashion, theatre, nightlife, and art of the era. The diverse range of objects on display allow you to truly immerse yourself; from a room of painting, leading to a room of furniture then fashion, each 'pavillion' offering a perfectly curated insight of stimulating content.

Art Nouveau was the prominent visual movement of the early 1900s and is interesting to see how characteristics were filtered into each aspect of Parisian life. From the swirling, hyper naturalistic Metro signs to the poster advertorials reflecting Pre-Raphaelite art for L'exposition Universelle; the style is distinctive and unique.

You can truly sense the excitement of Paris depicted in paintings during this era; showcasing the new buildings complete with the hustle and bustle of the crowds bringing each scene to life. From a fashion perspective, its also fascinating observing the typical dress codes contrasted with new architecture and visuals of Art Nouveau (which can be seen in the paintings below), composing a rich illustration of life in the early 1900s.

Narrow corridors link each of the 6 'pavilions' within the exhibition, a mirror along one side and video footage by the Luminere brothers (credited to be the first filmmakers in history) along the other. The film takes place on the streets of Paris during L'exposition Universelle, capturing both the density of the crowd in addition to individuals within the crowd as they flock past. The energy and excitement of Paris is perfectly expressed in the footage, with an additional curiosity of the newly developed video camera.

This is a wonderful exhibition, covering a wide range of compelling works of art celebrating the birth of the 20th century. There is nothing more satisfying than a well curated, sizable exhibition; the equivalent of a well written epic novel brimming with inspiration and stimulating content. If you, like myself, fall in love with Paris every time you return, this exhibition is a must see.

Alice Luker
www.aliceluker.co.uk