Sarah Burton said of this final collection: "He wanted to get back to the handcraft he loved, and the things that are being lost in the making of fashion," she said. "He was looking at the art of the Dark Ages, but finding light and beauty in it. He was coming in every day, draping and cutting pieces on the stand."
Style.com wrote: "What McQueen was preparing had a poetic, medieval beauty that dealt with religious iconography while recapturing memories of his own past collections. He had ordered fabric that translated digital photographs of paintings of high-church angels and Bosch demons into hand-loomed jacquard's, then taken the materials and cut stately caped gowns and short draped dresses. In its ornate surface narrative, that might read as a kick against the plain and restrained direction fashion is taking, but in their own way, the fluted, attenuated lines of his long dresses suggested a calm and simplicity. Instead of aggression, they transmitted the grace of the medieval Madonnas and Byzantine empresses McQueen had been studying. For anyone who had watched his development through the years, the references to milestone collections were apparent. The bandage-bound heads, some with feathered coxcombs, simultaneously called up the designer's rebel-British background and his landmark Asylum collection while also catching a likeness to the modest head coverings seen in Northern European medieval portraiture."
This jacket is particularly poignant as it features angels worked into the silk. The cut is graceful yet forward and the unexpected angles and protrusions feel like art and lightness. Truly one of the stand out pieces of the show it has been meticulously stored and is in Museum quality. An exceptional and moving piece. It is no surprise that this was chosen as a favorite by our guest editor for June, uber blogger Anita Clarke of the I Want, I Got blog. How could she not pick this rare and fabulous item as one her top picks?
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Shoulder: no defined seams
Bust: 18" flat across the inside back from side seam to side seam
Waist: 13.5" flat across the inside back from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across the inside back from side seam to side seam
Length: 24" from neck to hem
Sleeve length: approx 20"
Fully lined in silk with incredible seam work, with buttons that are hidden when closed. Hidden set zippers at each end of sleeve. Original belt snaps to close with hidden metal snaps. Tagged a 42 it is small so please go by posted measurements. Hand finishes.
Approximate modern size equivalent: XS-SML (2-small 6)
Item# DD943
This garment has been professionally cleaned, steamed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival
