The story begins on the countryside of Switzerland, with our heroine travelling the
countryside of Switzerland…from the tops of the snow capped mountains, down to
the depths of the lush green valleys. She continues her trek into the
Netherlands, walking among tulips and windmills before heading to the city
streets of London.
Such
is the journey that we are taken on in the Alexander McQueen Resort 2017
collection. These seemingly diverse points of inspiration come together to form
designs that are at once nostalgic while also modern enough for today’s world.
With floral prints and details reminiscent of a Swiss folk dress, the dresses are fit for Heidi all grown up.
Continuing the European influences, prints, scalloping and cut-outs mimic the printed designs on Dutch Delftware dishes. The 17th century pottery was inspired by ancient Chinese porcelain. Windmills, landscapes and seasides found their way onto the dishes of the Dutch…before making their way to the runway designs in more abstract forms.
As
fields and flowers are set aside for the mechanics of the big city, the designs
evolve from ruffles and prints to straight lines. With capes and military
button accents, the designs pay homage to the classic British detective,
Sherlock Holmes, and the iconic London guards.
So
then how does our heroine’s journey end? We can imagine her collecting friends
and memories along the way.
“She is not fashioned for a life among strangers.” –Heidi
And even though every adventure, including our heroine's, must come to a
close, there is beauty to enjoy along the way.
“Let’s
enjoy the beautiful things we can see, my dear, and not think about those we
cannot.” –Heidi
Runway photos: Vogue.com