For Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2013, Sarah Burton was inspired by the bees. Before the show even began a buzzing noise filled the venue and a screen showed projections of bees buzzing in hives. The runway was done in a honeycomb pattern and the models were busily buzzing bees which passed by the audience. The bee-theme manifested itself in many different levels from the circular mesh disc for a new take on a beekeeper’s hat up which covered the eyes and honeycomb printed jackets and skirts to the shoes with laser cut-out honeycomb printed ankle boots and thigh highs. Although a bee is known for their sweet honey and – some would say – cute and fuzzy exterior they can hurt you with one strike of the stinger. The sting in Sarah Burton’s collection for Alexander McQueen was the cages over tight corsets and voluminous hoop skirts along with accessories like gold bee-encrusted chokers, bracelets and belts, dominatrix edge!
Themes – Queen Bee from Top to Bottom
Colors – Honey, gold, black, yellow, scarlet, rose, primrose yellow, amber, forest green
Key Items – Cage-like pannier dresses, honeycomb pants and gold peplum jacquard blazer combo, peplum tops, all of the SHOES!
Prints/Patterns – Honeycomb prints, appliqued bee comb, flora
Fabrics – Leather, silk, lace, jacquard, semi-sheer synthetic ribbed fabric
Accessories – Hollow Lucite wedges, with golden crystals rattling in the heels; hard resin harnesses; bee-embellished cuffs, necklaces, and belts; deep gilded-metal chokers; circular beekeeper hats; patent leather honeycomb satchels
Swag – This season is for all the ladies who want to be colonizers and remain beehive chic.
