Piggybacking the conclusion of the ever-so-coveted Paris fashion week is Sarah Burton with the reveal of Alexander McQueen’s latest Spring Summer 2023 collection, “First Sight.” Presented at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, overlooking the Thames, the debut displayed striking exchanges of emotion while still maintaining a grounded aesthetic. Compared to last Spring season, in which Burton echoed a “show in the sky” – referencing the effervescent changing London skies – this season deconstructs the work of Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch.

Celebrated for his widely dark and often nightmarish works, such as The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch is presently regarded as a hugely individualistic painter with deep insight into humanity’s desires and deepest fears. For Burton, these themes are stripped, refined, and fused with empowerment – as seen in this Spring 2023 installment. Through a delicate adaptation of a rather elusive lens, Bosch frames the eye as a symbol of humanity – underlining a complex refinement of inspiration and unveiling a duality of McQueenhouse codes. A register of emotion, an expression of uniqueness and mysterious allure, Burton searches for human connection in the once strikingly dark and beautiful works of Bosch, translating her finds into McQueen’s latest debut.

With a focus on humanity and unbeknownst hints of a type of thrilling world complexity, not only does an interplay of darkness and humanity clash, but an interplay between Bosch and Burton as well. Cuts, drapes, and silhouettes reveal this intersection, spearheading a visual hallmark for McQueen.

 

 

Watch the full show below: