Style spotlight: Alexander McQueen’s most iconic collections

Perhaps one of McQueen’s most controversial collections, Highland Rape was a provocative exploration of history and power. It referenced the English invasion of Scotland, using distressed tartan, torn lace, and dishevelled silhouettes to create an unsettling yet deeply significant visual narrative. While some critics misinterpreted it, viewing it as a glorification of violence, McQueen stated it was a counter to other designers’ romanticising of Scottish culture. The collection solidified his reputation as an artistic designer, and one who was unafraid to confront difficult themes like oppression and violence through his work.

The Joan of Arc collection paid tribute to the tragic feminist figure, where themes of strength, sacrifice, and rebellion were weaved together with couture through chainmail-inspired mesh and Romanov-printed clothing. Kickstarting the dramatic finales one came to expect at a McQueen runway show, the presentation closed with a masked model in a crimson gown encircled by a ring of fire, projecting an unshakeable image of martyrdom and defiance.

Another defining moment in McQueen’s career took place in the No. 13 runway presentation. the collection took inspiration from textile designer William Morris and the Arts and Crafts movement, incorporating handcrafting techniques and Morris-inspired embroidery. For the show’s finale, supermodel Shalom Harlow stood on a rotating platform in a white strapless dress while robotic arms—typically seen in industrial production—sprayed her with streaks of black and yellow paint in theatrical fashion. The striking contrast between precision engineering and human artistry created one of the most memorable catwalk finales in fashion history.

McQueen had a rare talent for sculpting organic material in his clothing, creating sculptural clothing that were likened to wearable pieces of art. This collection drew on imagery of the natural world and its surroundings, featuring human-animal hybridisation through the use of shells, ostrich feathers and taxidermy hawks. The Razor-clam shell dress was a standout of the presentation, made by varnishing and sewing over 1,200 shells to the dress fabric in a magnificent show of craftsmanship.

This collection revisited McQueen’s Scottish heritage, but with a more reflective and sorrowful tone than Highland Rape. Richly tailored pieces in tartan and intricate embroidery paid tribute to history and loss. The show closed with another of McQueen’s impactful finales: a haunting and poetic hologram of Kate Moss, suspended in a ghostly, floating form within a glass pyramid, dressed in layers of flowing organza.

McQueen’s final fashion show—and the first ever to be streamed live online—was Plato’s Atlantis, which envisioned a world where climate change forced humanity to adapt to life underwater. This vision was expressed through digital prints, sculptural silhouettes, and one of his most celebrated designs: the Manta dress. Inspired by the movement of the manta ray, the dress featured bold aquatic patterns and fluid shapes, capturing the beauty of marine life. This fantasy collection also introduced the now-iconic Armadillo shoes—towering, curved footwear that changed the appearance of the models’ feet and pushed the limits of design. It went on to become one of McQueen’s most recognisable and iconic pieces.

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