McQ, the new line from Alexander McQueen
The fashion designer Alexander McQueen, whose eponymous company is a subsidiary of the Gucci Group, has launched a new clothing line for autumn-winter 2006. A ready-to-wear denim collection for men and women that is younger and has a whiff of rebellion.
And to think that we believed he had more or less settled down…
That would have been to forget the unpredictable personality of the London ex-bad boy, long renowned for his creations and his provocative fashion shows. Because this year, Alexander McQueen got out his claws: the brand has signed a five-year licensing agreement with the Italian industrialist Sinv Spa to produce and distribute a new line christened McQ-Alexander McQueen. “I have been thinking about it for years. I wanted to diversify my label, adapting it to a younger clientele and filling the gap between two generations,” he confides. “McQ is less sophisticated, younger and more cutting-edge.” Before qualifying: “But you can also dip into it for quite classic pieces that can be worn by young working women who are not necessarily rebels!”
In the spirit of the 50s and 60s
For her, imagine a voluminous dress with a plunging neckline and red heels; or alternately, body-hugging leather and black denim. For him, a close-fitting leather jacket over a long, thin sweater and cigarette pants. Silhouettes that are vaguely reminiscent of the bad boys of London in the 1960s. “I was incredibly inspired by road movies that evoke the atmosphere of the 50s and 60s,” states the designer. “For example, ‘Buffalo 66’, ‘Paris Texas’ or ‘Rumble Fish’, which express the idea of an America of infinite horizons.”
A ‘gang’-inspired communication
The collections being inspired by 1960's rocker gangs, the launch event reflected the idea of a 'gang meeting'. Staged in a large, abandoned Post Office in centraI Milan, the venue had a feeling of 1960'S British youth club.
The space showcased five portraits, art-directed by Alexander McQueen of the McQ 'gang members.' The portraits, shot by photographer Laurence Passera, were rolled out as part of an international below-the-line marketing campaign, featuring fly-posting and billboards in Milan, New York and Paris.
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