Staged beneath a projection of ominous visuals at Paris’s Zénith arena, Alexander McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2007 RTW show navigated a tumultuous journey into the depths of persecution, superstition, and spirituality. Disembodied whispers and sonorous screams cultivated a mood of dread, as models were routed along a fiery pentagram.
Infused with notes of demonisation and vilification, McQueen’s genealogical explorations into his connection to Elizabeth How – a victim of the Salem Witch Trials – fuelled his darkly immersive parade.
The glittering production painted the poisonous relationship between femininity and persecution through lavish ancient Egyptian imagery, Paganism, and celestial worship. The choreography remained almost ceremonial, as gilded ensembles, lapis lazuli blues, and ‘Eau de Nil’ greens dispersed across the murkily lit stage. Further Egyptian visuals emerged in the form of sarcophagus-style gowns, Nefertiti hair structures, and collar-esque detailing.
Heavy themes of concealment and suppression existed through hooded, caped, and cocooned ensembles, along with strong references to Puritan attire.
The presence of ancient Egyptian aesthetics transported viewers to the roots of superstition prior to its widespread weaponisation. Perhaps the most memorable creation was a gilded bodysuit complete with a moulded torso. The texture served as a fascinating reference to scale armour, a body protection technique that involved the layering of small metal plates. Early evidence of scale armour was depicted in a wall painting in the tomb of Kenamun, a prominent ancient Egyptian figure. Alexander McQueen’s torso mould design served as a nod to opulent pharaonic burial practices, as it was reminiscent of both a sarcophagus and the gold amulets that would accompany the soul into the afterlife.
The value of gold passed far beyond a mere status symbol in Ancient Egypt – it was deemed the ‘flesh of the gods’ and considered a highly powerful tool in connection with the sun god Ra. These incredibly perceptive subtleties built a heavily layered commentary that inspired deeper contemplation on the perenniality of divine worship and its practices.
Waves of mysticism lapped over the show, sharply intensified by the arrival of Shaun Leane’s first ethereal headpiece. As the luminous jewelled moon paid homage to celestial worship – a foundation of Pagan and ancient Egyptian beliefs – a jarring detail surfaced. The model was seemingly impaled by the crescent at the neck, rendering her hooked and captured – an alarming note on spiritual persecution.
A molten-like gown electrified the runway as precise bead placement created a transcendent flowing hair effect. The significance of this lies in the early fearmongering belief that a witch’s hair was a dangerous tool of concealment, as discussed in the ‘Malleus Maleficarum’, the infamous 1486 book by Heinrich Kramer. A fellow flame-effect gown amplified the suffocating tension.
In a final thoughtful rendition of ancient Egyptian dressing, models concluded the show in form-fitting netted gowns and bodysuits. Whilst referencing the historic beadnet dresses, the net and face covering signalled a final shift into sinister territory. Upon closer analysis, the unnerving ensemble suggested capture and dehumanising entrapment – a parallel to the torturous ordeal endured in Salem.
Beyond McQueen’s historical homage existed a startlingly satirical presentation of condemned women. Steeped in mystic glamour, the haunting ode forced viewers to face these archetypes and their destruction at the hands of superstition, the patriarchy, and weaponised fear.
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