Thank you to Sarah Burton, Cavan, Rosie, Kudi and everyone else who made this a day to cherish forever. Can you believe Alexander McQueen kindly invited us to their S/S 22 show in Tobacco Dock in Wapping in East London on Tuesday?
The views alone were incredible across London from up 10 high storeys on the roof of a car park under an amazing clear cloud structure designed by Smiljan Radic who also designed the Alexander McQueen Bond Street store. (Many of you will be familiar as we've held workshops and visits there.) The sky was ever changing above our bubble cloud and made Sarah Burton's Storm Chaser theme ever more present, the planning and attention to detail was unparalleled to anything we've ever seen. Excuse my blog, a fashion journalist I'm not but here goes!
My invite extended to 2 of our FashionLab Careers teenagers not in GCSE groups and at school (Molly Aberdour Brighton, Jake Horne London) and who it was felt had worked exceptionally hard during their last project, 'I Remember You When...' The project encouraged use of McQueen deadstock fabrics and to create an outfit with reference to tailoring and a memory or a viewpoint they held in their memory. Molly and Jake considered further and outside of the box with an excellent craft filled sketchbook by Molly and an installation by Jake focussing on the state of current politics. Molly also made the short video that's with this blog, encapsulating the show and her magical day. Thank you Molly, it's beyond great and makes up for my ever crummy photos.
Anyway, back to the show! We were more than pleasantly surprised that it was such an intimate affair and so honoured when I was sat on the front row and the students on the second! Ths vantage point meant we could all enjoy such a feast of craftmanship with such excellent cutting and delicate bead, crystal and paillette detail. The models were a manner of strong and proud women sporting skinhead, short back and sides and Marilyn hairstyles.
Lastly, Queen Naomi Campbell appeared and majestically (of course) yet fiercely to walk in serene silence at the close of the show. Oh enchantment! What a culmination of the show's essence of tailoring excellence and embellishment (the tights! the tights!!) in her finale outfit. Afterwards the teenagers sported the biggest smiles and felt they were blown away by every aspect of their experience and Jake said he felt embarrassed even to be in Naomi's presence, har har!
We were also really lucky to meet two final year degree embroidery students at The Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court. Emily Whittaker and Linnea Lyndon had been picked to freelance as embroidery finishers on the show garments, what a wonderful opportunity. If you're interested in embroidery - do check out the Royal School of Needlework, and watch this space.
Lastly, no queuing to exit via the car park lifts. Alexander mcQueen had arranged golf carts to speed us back to the ground floor - all driven by members of their team who had great fun trying the buggies out beforehand. What a wonderful way to leave the event and THANK YOU!
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