As Alexander McQueen fever hits London, Working Process and Savage Beauty were two of my must-see exhibitions of the year. Featuring the largest retrospective of his work in Europe, the lavish garments on display at Savage Beauty had me reviewing my staid, work wardrobe with some disdain. From slinky shell dresses to raffish tartan and taffeta numbers, the fabulously flamboyant world of McQueen whisks you out of the conformity of the corporate world and into journeys you never believed were possible.
On entering the exhibition, bright lights, flashing video screens and rhythmic techno-beats quicken the pulse as I experience the adrenalin-rush of a catwalk show.
Spread out across 10 rooms, dark, cavernous tunnels sweep you into the labyrinth of McQueen’s multi-faceted creative vision. Creeping into the Romantic Gothic room, I’m met with monstrous block heels and menacing leather face masks, revealing the darker side of human nature. The subversively romantic swan gown contrasts a tiny nipped-in waist with curvaceous hips and thighs encased in sumptuous black, silky feathers. Both sensual and menacing, the gown blurs the boundaries between the female form and the animal kingdom.
The natural world continues in the next room, Romantic Primitivism, where warrior-like gazelle heads loom out from brightly-lit alcoves in a dungeon decorated in trademark skulls. Using mud, hair, beads and latex, the exhibits here highlight McQueen’s deep connection with the natural products of the earth. Not one to shy away from controversy, the full-length synthetic human hair coat is a squeamish masterpiece which you can’t help but want to touch.
A Pandora’s Box of paraphernalia jumps out from the Cabinet of Curiosities – the exhibition’s undisputed highlight. Composed of a double height gallery, brightly-lit symmetrical boxes pile up to the roof, displaying a vast array of tantalising wares. It’s a bit like embarking on a magical shopping trip where every object is unique and desperately desired. My must-have item is the delicate butterfly head-dress which shapes the head in the most flattering way and is perfect for disguising those bad hair days at work.
The dream-like ambience continues in Romantic Exoticism, where neat rows of Japanese bobs spin round like ballerinas in time to tinkling jewellery box music. The delicate, pastel kimonos on display are a far cry from the previous dark and subversive Gothic outfits – highlighting the diverse range of McQueen’s work.
The chirrup of tweeting birds takes me back to rural pastures in Romantic Naturalism, which contains my all-time exhibition favourite. Inspired by a trip to the beach, the slinky figure-hugging evening dress that I have my eye on would be perfect on the red carpet. It’s only on closer inspection that I twig that it’s crafted from hundreds of razor shells positioned in perfect vertical alignment. As I marvel at the work involved in stitching together each individual shell, I try to imagine the clinking cacophony that would resonate from taking just a few steps in the dress.
As I leave the magical world of Savage Beauty, I find myself in a state of longing for a life less ordinary. Inspired to push the conventional boundaries of “appropriate” office attire, I wonder what it would be like to don a pair of veiled antlers on the tube or sashay into the boardroom in a razor clam shell dress. Sadly, I think my sartorial longings will have to be reserved for Christmas Jumper Day.
Savage Beauty runs from 14th March until the 2nd August 2015
Friday – 10.00 – 17.30
Last entry 4.30pm weekdays