The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
+5 The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
The Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2022 Ad Campaign Is Here
One of my favourite things about the fashion industry is the advertising campaigns. Namely, the ones which you can clearly tell real thought and artistic direction went into creating the images we are supposed to aspire to. In a modern society, where we all take advertisements at face value, it takes a special team to grab the reader’s attention. We are currently assessing what beauty and fashion mean to us all. McQueen never took fashion seriously. More on that later though.
Beauty doesn’t mean what it used to, to us all. Beauty used to be irrevocably what designers told us it was. These were usually skinny, white models with blonde hair. No curl pattern unless it came via a brand new straightener from the warehouse. Fashion was also distinct. There was no such thing as a runway show. It was always womenswear and menswear. We are currently seeing the emergence of inclusivity and sustainability all throughout the industry. Similarly, we’re seeing the rise of gender-fluid clothing with directors creating garments that could easily be worn by males and females. Heck, however you identify yourself, the new wave is inclusivity.
I had been cautious to comment on this specific ad campaign considering that it caters to men. However, what does it mean to design menswear? Furthermore, what does it mean to comment on menswear? The answer is that it doesn’t mean anything. Men have been creating womenswear since the beginning of time, and conversely, women have been designing menswear since the beginning of time. The McQueen spring summer 2022 campaign wasn’t what I expected at all.
Menswear?
I had initially set out to look at the Womenswear spring-summer 2022 ad campaign. Spring is right around the corner, so it is only right that I let you into the secrets of McQueen’s direction. To my surprise, the menswear ad campaign was out. I wasn’t interested initially because it is menswear, and I don’t usually pay attention to high fashion menswear. High street menswear collections? Yes. I’ll eat that up all day long. But, I can appreciate fashion photography and the message behind the camera.
This image is what struck me at first. It continues the theme of redefining what it means to create menswear. Five to ten years ago, would we ever see ruffles on a man’s suit? The answer is no. The freedom of expression when it comes to menswear has long been held in a chokehold. An aggressive chokehold at that. From emotional barriers to praise for treating women as disposable, men have not had the easiest ride.
I think that is what makes me so happy with the photography. The clean lines give the suit the sartorial satisfaction that we’re all looking for. Men can wear whatever they want, but certainly, we can neaten it up and create a source of structure. I can tell that not every man would be comfortable wearing this jacket, but it certainly is a head-turner. One for the red carpet maybe.
It’s Not Pink, It’s Salmon
What’s so funny about this image is how far fashion has come. It may seem trivial, but just because a designer puts something on the runway, that doesn’t mean the item will go over well with the public. Pink on men was not in! Especially in the early 2000s with the grip teenage cinema movies had on the fashion industry. Pink was a ‘girls’ colour. The boy’s version was red. So it’s incredibly interesting to see pink (or salmon – whatever) being made specifically for men.
One of the great things about fashion is how fluid every item is for the sexually confident human. Women who easily wear menswear and men who easily wear womenswear. Sometimes it just has to be done. Have you ever seen an item designed for someone else and envied the garment because you know you’d kill it? Yep, same. Ladies, that blazer is a killer. If you want it, get it. Subject to a healthy bank account of course.
Question It
Do you remember Alexander McQueen? Do you remember how rebellious he was, and so unabashedly himself? He never took fashion seriously and made fun of those who did.
Doesn’t this image just remind you of him and everything he stood for, whilst keeping up with the demands of modernity? It is difficult to stay true to yourself or the brand especially when we are all so different. When it comes to fashion, designers often feel the need to ‘prove’ themselves. They are the new creative force behind a large fashion house, so they need to come out with a bang.
Whilst that is somewhat true, it is not a rule. Think about what it means to be timeless in fashion and/or beauty. Do you understand the way that the definition doesn’t change but we can name our favourite creatives throughout the ages that fit this description? They won’t all be the same gender or sex or body type. However, they all fit the description. That is what it is like for a fashion house. No matter the creative director, we should still see some semblance of the brand within their very DNA of design.
Bravo to the man who decides to wear this! For the simple fact that this appears to be a dress, I wouldn’t be as impressed if I saw this on a woman. Maybe on a woman who doesn’t like womenswear. Conversely, I’m rarely impressed when I see men in suits. It’s so last year. Nothing changes, so you can’t give cool points.
I’m not too sure which celebrity or fashion fiend, I’d love to see rock this look, so maybe that is where you, the reader, can help me out. Let me know your thoughts.
View the gallery above for the full ad campaign for Alexander McQueen’s spring-summer 2022 menswear collection.
