Alexander McQueen Resort 2014 Dress
Leather has always been a defining material in Alexander McQueen’s oeuvre; a medium through which the designer explored strength, sensuality, and the tension between beauty and brutality. During McQueen’s tenure as creative director, leather appeared in many of his most memorable collections, sculpted into sharply tailored jackets, corsetry, and dresses. This Alexander McQueen Resort 2014 dress was designed by Sarah Burton, who drew inspiration from 1940s workwear. The result is a characteristically McQueen tension between utility and sensuality, executed through one of the house’s most enduring signatures.
Crafted from taut black calf leather with a butter-soft handle, the dress references the collection’s leather apron silhouettes, which WWD described as “elevated utilitarian turned sweet and sexy.” Vogue noted a strong sense of Americana throughout the collection, likening a nubuck calfskin dress to “the product of an artisanal studio in the bowels of the Hollywood Hills.”
The design features wide straps and a panelled front with a square neckline that gives the appearance of a corset, though it is unboned. Instead, the structured leather itself performs the work of cinching the waist and lifting the bust. A utilitarian belt with silver-tone hardware further defines the silhouette, while the silver fittings reference another McQueen house code. Boxy patch pockets introduce angular detailing at the hips, subtly emphasising the feminine form in a modern, architectural way. The dress is lined with black silk. It fastens at the centre back with a hidden black zip and hook-and-eye clasp.
Although this black colourway did not appear on the runway, it was produced for stores in recognition of its commercial and aesthetic importance: at McQueen, black leather is synonymous with sex appeal. A perfect expression of McQueen’s ability to merge romanticism with rebellion - and it sells.
• Alexander McQueen Resort 2014 • Calf leather • Wide straps • Square-neck • Patch pockets • Leather belt • Made in Italy
Fabric: Calf leather
Lining: Silk
Size on Label: Italian size 38, UK 8, US 4
Stretch: No
Care: Dry clean only
Condition: Excellent
Waist: 66 cm (26 inches)
Hips: 91.5 cm (36 inches)
Length: 63.5 cm (25 inches)