The Demna Gvasalia school is really catching on. McQ, the younger, badder sibling of Alexander McQueen (it’s also directed by Sarah Burton), pivoted its Fall story on the look of the moment, arguably defined by Gvasalia’s Vetements: all things outsize; proportionally quizzical; slightly longer, layered, and, for the time being, crowd-stirringly savvy. (Part of this composition, too, might also be attributed to Gosha Rubchinskiy’s menswear, which makes use of similar properties.) Yet McQ doesn’t feel like a rip-off (except for cursive prints down the sleeves of sweatshirt dresses). It reads more as a way of seizing an opportunity and draping said opportunity with the brand’s naïf, rebellious, and gothic preoccupations. Smart move, Burton.
The backstory with McQ’s fall collection is late ’70s– and early ’80s–era Shinjuku, in Tokyo. Think: a bustling bar scene, culture clashes, strip clubs, biker bars, and dance halls, all in one. The Japanese influences are most evident in updated obi belts and a few intermittent, kimono-esque shapes, including a crushed-velvet, loose-and-heavy trenchcoat. Yet the idea found modernity in its layering potential and decidedly askew congruities. A high-waist drainpipe, a long shearling coat, and a shrunken graphic tee illustrate the point, as do an A-line leather poncho (with a built-in gilet underneath) over skyscraper-high white patent boots. Turtlenecks also played a key role. McQ devotees and newcomers alike, especially those with a beat on fashion du jour, will be excited with the timeliness.
