AUTUMN/WINTER 1998
Season Coverage
Alexander McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 1998 collection ‘Joan’ was a visual spectacle. Continuing with his historical, yet morbid themes, McQueen traveled between the 15th and 20th centuries to relive the executions of Joan of Arc and the Romanov family, emphasizing the concepts of martyrdom and persecution. Models were decorated with medieval hair, bloodshot contacts, and chainmail armor. The collection itself was rigid, dark, and layered with tragedy upon tragedy, yet tailored to perfection. The color palette for the collection was limited to red, black, and grey. Some of the most haunting pieces were the blouses and dresses sequined with the Romanov children’s portraits who were murdered with their parents Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra, in 1918. McQueen’s most striking moment came at the end of his show when a model wearing a beaded red dress that covered her face became encircled by a ring of fire, directly referencing the young’s martyrdom Joan of Arc.
Written by Leonardo Hurtado
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