Alexander McQueen Fall 1999 "The Overlook" Skirt Suit

This black cashmere felt skirt suit was designed as part of Alexander McQueen's Fall 1999 "The Overlook" collection. It mirrors the raised collars and distinctive felted cashmere weaves - also presented in grey - that characterised the season.

Continually cited as one of McQueen’s greatest shows, "The Overlook" was inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror film The Shining. Rather than literal horror, McQueen subverted audience expectations by focusing on the icy isolation of the Overlook Hotel where the film is set. The runway was encased in a Lucite box containing a candle-lit birch forest, swirling snow, and an icy floor, and models walked in shoes with heels shaped to resemble ice skates. Writing for The Irish Times, Robert O'Byrne praised the “superlative tailoring and cutting of unrivalled mastery,” noting McQueen’s romantic interpretations of winter clothing and pseudo-skiwear. This context resonates strongly with this suit, cut from cashmere woven to evoke the insulating tactility of ski thermals.

The skirt’s arrow-shaped seaming and front flap directly reference the silhouette introduced in McQueen’s seminal Spring 1996 "The Hunger" collection, one of the first to establish his razor-sharp approach to construction. Named after the 1983 erotic vampire film, "The Hunger" explored themes of desire and violence; the arrow-shaped seams, cutting sharply into the body, can be read as visual metaphors for penetration and wounding. This aggressive seam work became a recurring motif in McQueen’s late-1990s output, emblematic of his fascination with the body as both armour and site of trauma.

The jacket fastens with a single button at the front, below which it parts to reveal the skirt beneath. The waist is sharply cinched, while the neckline is high, elegant and sculpted. The skirt is high-waisted, fastening at the hip with a concealed tonal zip and hook-and-eye. Below the arrow-shaped stitching, the panel subtly lifts to reveal a concealed flap, emblematic of McQueen’s flirtation with exposure and restraint. This suit stands as a refined example of his ability to fuse historical reference with distinctly modern tailoring. We have not seen the likes of him in British fashion since.

• Alexander McQueen Fall 1999 • Skirt-suit • Pure cashmere • High-collar jacket • Flap-front pencil skirt • Lined in satin • Made in Italy

Fabric: 100% Cashmere
Lining: Satin
Stretch: No
Size on Label: Italian 42, UK 10, US 6
Care: Dry clean only
Condition: Excellent

Jacket
Length: 61 cm (24 inch)
Bust: 89 cm (35 inch)
Waist: 74 cm (29 inch)
Bottom hem: 81.5 cm (32 inch)

Skirt
Waist: 68.5 cm (27 inch)
Hips: 89 cm (35 inch)
Length: 56 cm (22 inch)