McQueen Fall 2025: Raw Opulence Meets Commercial Cool in a Collection That’s Another Stride Forward for the House
A year after his rocky debut, things are looking up for creative director Seán McGirr at Alexander McQueen, whose strong, salable fall 2025 collection should continue to build momentum for the luxury house with a rebel heart.
The brand had a ton of visibility this red carpet awards season, dressing Miley Cyrus for the Oscars, Sabrina Carpenter for the Brit Awards, Demi Moore for the BAFTAs, Angelina Jolie and Emmy D’Arcy for the Golden Globes.
More from WWD
Paris Jackson Wows at Vivienne Westwood in a Beauty Look Inspired by the Label's Spring 2012 Show
Michele Lamy and Her Cigarette Beguile Guests at Dover Street Market
Polo Ralph Lauren Brings American Style to Paris Fashion Week
And thanks to Timothée Chalamet requesting it, the skull scarf that first debuted in 2003 has gone viral with 62 million related TikTok videos, delivering the house a bonafide accessory hit for a second time. Sales increased threefold after he wore it.
“It makes sense in the culture because when I was a teenager, it was one of the first things I could afford,” McGirr said during a preview.
So it’s no wonder the scarf rappeared in the collection shown Saturday night, even getting remixed as a green and white skull printed blouse with ruffled collar.
After all, McGirr was inspired by the idea of neo-dandyism, and while his references ran from Victorian-era Oscar Wilde and Vesta Tilley to Helmut Berger in the 1970 film “Dorian Gray,” they just as easily could include Chalamet and D’Arcy.
“A dandy is someone who has a real radical sense of self and a strength of character, which is really McQueen,” said the designer, who took a gender-agnostic approach to casting and dressing the models, who emerged onto the runway from a mirrored portal.
The show started with a run of terrific sharp, black tailoring. Jackets drew on a Victorian silhouette with pleated collars, peaked shoulders and shaped waists, and were worn with archival kickback trousers and wicked-looking, extra-elongated pointy shoes. (McGirr said he meets with the brand archivist every other week.) Other looks had ivory ruffles spilling out, Marianne Faithfull style, or were accessorized with a dandy’s cocked hat.
The romantic turned flamboyant on a sexy, bust-framing sheer black lace gown, and angelic winged boleros made from different textures of overdyed shearling to create “a raw opulence,” as McGirr aptly put it. That and much more should have Hollywood stylists clamoring, including crystalline floral-covered or cable knitted crinoline minidresses, gold bullion encrusted bomber jackets and cloaks, not to mention the bedazzled face jewelry.
Fluid silk gowns in fuchsia, inky blue, pale green and lavender had drama without sacrificing wearability, which was clearly a priority for McGirr, who also brought in more casual and contemporary pieces, like a glossy shrunken leather bomber with punk buckle details, and a tailcoat parka with dense crystal shard embroidery at the neck.
The collection struck a balance between commercial and cool, setting the brand up for success. In time, maybe McGirr will also figure out how to bring the disruptive quality of his debut into the balance, too.
Launch Gallery: Alexander McQueen Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear Collection
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
