Hello, Tailor

I often see the word “costumey” used in fashion editorials, usually preceded by the phrase, “to avoid looking…”. Well, it will probably come as no surprise whatsoever that I have no qualms about looking costumey. What’s the point of high fashion if not to look interesting? And with with Alexander McQueen, “interesting” is a guarantee. The nipped-in waists and simple, tailored silhouettes could have come from any McQueen collection of the past ten years, but the severely colour palette and religious overtones are a definite step away from the more organic, animalistic inspirations of the pre-Sarah Burton era.— Alexander McQueen, Pre-Fall 2013: Puritans, Popes, and Vampire Queens.

spectrumfantasticartlive:

Inspirations # 23

1. Iain McCaig concept design for Queen Amidala

2. Queen Amidala’s Senate Costume

3. Woman’s Headdress and Collier from 19th Century Mongolia once worn by a woman of the Chalcha, a Mongolian Subgroup. 

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live 2 - May 17 -19, 2013 - Kansas City, Missouri  

Note that Amidala has a Snitch in the original design sketch.

This collection wasn’t so much a celebration of imagination as it was about quality. While dandies and 19th-century decadence are by no means a new topic in the world of high-end fashion, a show like this proves that Gaultier can provide consistent excellence without resorting to gimmickry. — from Jean Paul Gaultier Couture: Dandies, Decadence, and George Sand.