Alexander McQueen SS99: How the British designer transformed the catwalk into a space for performance art

^{Image: Condé Nast Archive}

Everything you need to know about McQueen's exquisitely dramatic SS99 RTW runway show.

We say tortured souls make the most brilliant artists, and there’s no doubt that Alexander McQueen was one of them. More than a decade after his tragic passing, the fashion industry is still mourning the loss of his genius. 

No. 13, McQueen’s Spring/Summer 1999 Ready-to-Wear runway show, will forever be remembered as one of the most iconic moments in the history of fashion. The label’s 13th show allied technical prowess from the designer and splendid performances on the runway. In the midst of the 90s, anti-fashion was at an all-time high, and designers were bursting with creativity in the way fashion could be presented. Models set on spinning platforms, wings made of paper, a breathtaking finale featuring former ballerina Shalom Harlow - No. 13 wasn’t only a catwalk, but a truly beautiful piece of performance art.

Behind the finesse of the designs was Lee’s fascination for the Arts and Crafts movement, which inspired him throughout his entire career. Emerging in the late 19th century, the realisation of the damages caused by industrialisation led society at the time to seek a more sustainable approach to the manufacturing of objects. This inspiration shone through the alliance of raw and organic fabrics, like denim or jute, and the earthy tones of blacks, browns, greys, and beiges displayed throughout the collection. No. 13 was a political statement. Challenging the relationship between men and machines, but also exploring the impact of capitalism on clothes, the catwalk intertwined tailored silhouettes and blue-collar-like uniforms. 

The shoulders were rigid and structured, but the overall blazers were deconstructed, with sleeves ripped off and open backs. The pants were perfectly tailored but they were added a silver metallic sheen, transforming the models into machine-like creatures. Perfectly moulding to the bodies of the muses, they became iron shells. Denim was used to create jumpsuits similar to those of factory workers. Statement bodices made of metal were glistening under the spotlights. The runway became McQueen’s platform to expose the grotesque reality of what the capitalist system had instilled in our lives. On the pedestal we have set them on, money and labor had turned us into pawns for society to toy with.

^{Image: Alexander McQueen - Look 27}

This doesn’t mean that McQueen had forgotten about the explosive energy of the 90s. The clothes were still spirited. The gowns made of stretchy fabrics looked like a t-shirt that would have been ripped off during a rave, sometimes only hanging on by a shoulder. Lee’s models were revolting against the system. Their disheveled hair was stuck to their forehead in that perfect, “fuck everything” look. They looked like they’d gone straight from the club to the runway, ready to  dismantle our idea of perfection with asymmetry and open backs.

About halfway through the show, we were given a surprising change of tone. The silhouettes became more tamed and classic, and so did the fabrics. The tailored looks were traded for flowy blouses made of sheer fabric or intricate lace. The ruffled collars brought some softness to the looks, sweet and romantic, with a hint of darkness, DNA to all McQueen’s designs. Some of the models were adorned with coats resembling men’s evening tails, and McQueen introduced his revolutionary paper silhouette to the runway. Erin O’Connor looked like an angel bursting onto a battlefield. Assertive and stunningly beautiful, she looked like she was ready to partake in the fight. 

^{Image: Alexander McQueen - Look 32}

^{Image: Alexander McQueen - Look 40}

McQueen’s genius extended to footwear. The orthopaedic feel of the shoes was no coincidence when we realise that one of the models was none other than Paralympic champion Aimee Mullins. Amputated above the knees, she was carved a pair of cherry wood prosthetics to walk the show. Many in the public mistook them for an ingenious pair of boots (and it is said that some stylists were begging to borrow said boots after the show).

^{Image: Alexander McQueen - Look 65}

Finally, how can we talk about No. 13 without extensively obsessing about the highlight of the show - the finale. After all the models had left the catwalk, Shalom Harlow walked in her white dress, like a blank canvas. She stood on the rotating platform set in the centre of the stage to the mercy of the robotic arms. Moving like serpents around their prey, they sprayed yellow and black paint onto the ballerina. This was the climax of the conflict that arose throughout McQueen’s runway: who will survive this confrontation? The woman or the machine? The scene was painful in anticipation. People were holding their breaths. A genius moment of ethos. As she emerged from her trance-like state, so did the public. A torrent of emotions swept through the room.

^{Image: Alexander McQueen - Look 75}

There are no words to describe the impact Lee McQueen had on the fashion industry with this singular moment. Still today, designers try to emulate his creative genius (look at Coperni and their sprayed-on dress for example). McQueen knew how to inspire, how to provoke emotions. No.13 is only a mere example of his contribution to fashion. In a time when the quest for self and emancipation was central, Lee broke the rules and set us free.

_{Thumbnail image courtesy of Alexander McQueen}

_{Mobile thumbnail courtesy of Alexander McQueen}