SPRING/SUMMER 1998
Season Coverage
Though Alexander McQueen’s work was more often than not morbid or sadistic in nature, some seasons the designer opted for a lighter note—well, at least by his standards. For the Spring/Summer 1998 season, rather than stick with his usual black/red color palette and horrifically beautiful motifs, McQueen chose to primarily work in white, gray and snakeskin.
Dubbed “Golden Shower”—though quickly thereafter changed to “Untitled” as sponsors threatened to walk once they realized the title’s sexually mischievous nature—the show took place on top of lucite blocks filled with water, imitating a running stream. As females walked in spliced tailoring combining pinstripe and gray virgin wool and men sauntered down in glitzy corsets, the audience was unsure what to make of this new direction. Then suddenly without warning, the lights switched to gold, the water began to drain out the lucite and suddenly “golden” rain sprayed the models who now all wore sheer white gowns and slips. The result was stirring, beautiful yet with clear kink undertones. A collection that began relatively tame apart from a few exposed breasts suddenly became a parade of nude models whose white clothes were completely see-through under the bright yellow downpour. Of all McQueen’s provocative stunts, even today the Spring ‘98 finale is remembered as one of his greatest.
Dubbed “Golden Shower”—though quickly thereafter changed to “Untitled” as sponsors threatened to walk once they realized the title’s sexually mischievous nature—the show took place on top of lucite blocks filled with water, imitating a running stream. As females walked in spliced tailoring combining pinstripe and gray virgin wool and men sauntered down in glitzy corsets, the audience was unsure what to make of this new direction. Then suddenly without warning, the lights switched to gold, the water began to drain out the lucite and suddenly “golden” rain sprayed the models who now all wore sheer white gowns and slips. The result was stirring, beautiful yet with clear kink undertones. A collection that began relatively tame apart from a few exposed breasts suddenly became a parade of nude models whose white clothes were completely see-through under the bright yellow downpour. Of all McQueen’s provocative stunts, even today the Spring ‘98 finale is remembered as one of his greatest.
Written by Asaf Rotman
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