McQueen, Huguenot inspirations and Liberty in Fashion

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
exhibition 2015 at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

It is interesting to see that Alexander McQueen designer Sarah Burton's touchingly feminine SS16 collection shown in Paris this week was inspired by Huguenot silk weavers who escaped Catholic France to settle in London Spitalfields in the 17th century.  (Click here to watch the Alexander McQueen SS16 show on YouTube.)


Back in July earlier this year, I covered an exhibition called Fabrics of the City which took place at The Cass - London Metropolitan University in WhiteChapel, which celebrated the work of 14 London-based designers who were inspired by Huguenot silk weavers.

In my report, I pointed out a common thread between the designers at The Cass exhibition and of McQueen in that they were all able to push boundaries and make relevant historical references with their contemporary designs.
In Sarah Burton's new SS16 collection for Alexander McQueen, she has lovingly paid respect to the Huguenots' unique craftsmanship.

One example of the stunning designs created for the high society by the

 Huguenots is The Fanshawe Dress (above), on display at the Museum of London.   

An exceptional example of their highly skilled workmanship, this piece features signature 

silver thread and lace - distinctive features in the Huguenots’ designs,

 which have served as a starting point for the new designs exhibited in Fabric of the City.

Lady Lawson Walton's Spitalfields silk brocade dress as shown in the
Liberty in Fashion exhibition to open  at the Fashion and Textile Museum
 on Friday October 9th 2015.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Now I'm also thrilled that in a new exhibition entitled Liberty in Fashion, which will open at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey on Friday October 9th, will be on display a beautiful antique dress made from Spitalfields brocade, shortly before the Spitalfields mills closed down.
The Court dress was made by Liberty & Co  for Lady Lawson Walton (1852-1932), wife of the Attorney General, who wore it to a ball at the Court of St James in 1906 or 1907.

Liberty in Fashion showcasing a rich archive of floral prints and dress designs.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Liberty in Fashion celebrates the 140th anniversary of the company, charting Liberty's history as the fashionable place to shop as well as its role as the source and originator of key trends in fashion history, from Orientalism and Aesthetic dress in the 19th century, through Art Nouveau and Art Deco in the early 20th century, and the revival of these styles since the 1950s.