This season, Sarah Burton brought a distinctive Japanese influence to her latest spring-summer 2015 collection for the house of Alexander McQueen. Burton translated traditional Japanese dress and the kimono into structured jacquard lantern-sleeved tunics, dresses, and gowns in a series of graphic color stories rendered in heavy silks interspersed with hints of pale pink mixed with black, followed by a black and red series with flashes of white and varying combinations of soft pink mixed with pearly shades of silver.
The starting point was her own personal treasured collection of antique kimonos picked up during trips to Japan. Burton made a point of opening up the necklines of woven silk tunics and slicing into sleeves to reveal slivers of flesh. Black strapped dresses were topped with harnesses, and short dresses came with rounded armor-like short sleeves and stiff skirts alluding to the power and femininity of a woman. The suit options were particularly strong, complete with sleeves slit up to the elbow, offering a cape-like feeling. And the pant for spring was a slim bell bottom flare, that started at the knee and hovered right above the floor.
Her collection of precious pieces informed the palette of black, red and white with leather chrysanthemums handcut into red and black patterns like lacquer boxes or black python appliqued with blown-up graphic chrysanthemums. The theme extended to hair and make-up enhancing the futuristic Samurai warrior effect, with faces covered in black lacquered masks and hair pulled back into neatly folded obi style buns. Models wore coordinating tall snake skin gladiator sandals with perspex heels.
Burton showed off her more romantic side with buoyant cherry blossom dresses in pale pink, deep rose and white with petals edged in black. Her finale dresses floated down the runway with hand-painted, appliqued petals attached to the straps of dresses or adhered to black patent harnesses worn over the bodice.
The show’s futuristic masks were created by Pat McGrath and invoked the look of Chinese porcelain masks and the richness of Japanese theater. The makeup was kept futuristic with luminous foundation and silver accents in the inner corners of the eye.
