Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2012 RTW

This is going to be my last review for Fall/Winter 2012 RTW, but if you want to see a review of any of the shows, just let me know!  When I have time, I might revisit some of the other collections worth mentioning.  Until then, let's end my mini Fashion Week Marathon with a look at Alexander McQueen.

So far, Sarah Burton has been fairly consistent with the general look she puts forth each season, but she experimented with something different this time, and it's going to give her divided results.  Her loving followers will continue to sing praise, while her more skeptical critics will only have one word for this collection: poodles.

If you're like me, you'll see that Burton wasn't in fact going for poodle, but for the beauty of aquatic life and her self-described explosion of optimism.  She started off with pure A-line dresses accessorized with puffs of fur at the shoulders, neck and wrists.  It was a wonderfully tactile way of representing the purity of birth and the beginning of life.  Silver belts that I couldn't stop seeing as coral wound themselves around the models' waists.  The boots were admittedly poodle-like, but I found them strangely appealing.

The breakaway began with laser-cut ponyskin on leather, which then emerged as black pompoms.

And then the pompoms exploded into puffballs of ostrich feathers, quivering like a sea anemone making its way through the sparkling water.  Although the full feather party dress has been done many times before, you can tell Burton does it with a lot more structure and architectural design.  The following dresses were lightly dusted with "dandelions", with sleeves so exaggerated they blended right in with the skirt.

In the only bit of colour during the show, vibrant red dresses not unlike new fascinating deep water organisms proceeded, before, completely unexpected, they further exploded into masses of fluff that were just beyond words.

So many people focus on the wearabilty of collections nowadays that they're forgetting the beauty and innovation of the clothes themselves.  If you're complaining about the practicality of these looks, then I suggest you go and look at the hundreds of other labels out there that do great wearable ready-to-wear, and let Sarah Burton do her thing.

Watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Style.com