iNSPIRED by British colonialism, regal triumphs and his recent trip to India, Alexander McQueen proved himself a veritable C.S Lewis of the catwalk today – the same day, in fact, that he announced his Gucci-owned company had hit profit for the first time and, after a show like that, who could have cause to doubt it?
McQueen's has arguably been one of the most desirable show passes every season since he started out 14 years ago and, if that's the case, the autumn/winter 2008-9 one will be the golden ticket. More than 1,000 of us sat spellbound as the one of the most beautiful fashion fairytales of our age was unveiled, accompanied by an intoxicating soundtrack of Mozart, Hadyn and Nirvana.
"I've got a 600-year-old elm tree in my garden and I made up this story of a girl who lives in it and comes out of the darkness to meet a prince and become a queen," the designer explained backstage. What emerged was a darkly gothic creature with huge backcombed hair, wearing head-to-toe shrink-wrapped black leather with a skeletal branch as her crown.
Minutes later, she was a crinoline princess, wrapped in a whirl of knotted chiffon dripping with jewels from her forehead all the way down her intricately tucked bodice. Sari silks had feathered chiffon fountains bursting from beneath them, silken robes were embroidered with delicate peacocks whose beaks met at the strapless neckline and colonial velvets and ermine coats were richness personified.
Court couturiers Norman Hartnell and Sir Hardy Amies both had a place in this historical collection, but McQueen more than ever managed to whip up the most covetable of the British and Indian couture details and stir them into an incredible fantasy by way of his highly skilled tailoring techniques.
He was even kinder than usual to his models this season. They could walk - and breathe - more easily than ever, making this possibly McQueen's most romantic, unmissable collection to date.