Plato's Atlantis
Dress
2010 (made)
2010 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) was one of the most innovative British designers of the late 20th century. His work consistently combined precise tailoring techniques with a futuristic vision. He was at the vanguard of a group of designers who embraced extraordinary theatricality and conceptual presentation. This dress forms part of McQueen's Spring/Summer 200 collection. The design features a vibrant, digitally printed textile with layered photographic images of a variety of reptile skins. Shown on the catwalk with vertiginous, claw-like shoes, the look dominated fashion pages and commentary in the months after McQueen's fashion show. This catwalk presentation was also notable for being one of the first to be streamed live onto the internet, where people could watch it in real time, free of charge.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Plato's Atlantis (named collection) |
| Materials and techniques | Printed silk |
| Brief description | Dress, digitally printed silk satin and silk chiffon, Alexander McQueen, Britain, Spring/Summer 2010. |
| Physical description | Silk cocktail dress made from fabric digitally printed with photographic images of reptile skins in a colour palette of greens, blues and yellows. The dress features cap sleeves and a ruched top layer of chiffon over areas of the bodice and skirt. The neckline is a dramatic, low-cut 'v' shape. There is a centre back zip closure. The dress is fully lined. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Ready to wear |
| Gallery label |
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| Object history | The Victoria and Albert Museum purchased this dress the day that Alexander McQueen's death was announced. It is from the last complete collection overseen by the designer. |
| Summary | Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) was one of the most innovative British designers of the late 20th century. His work consistently combined precise tailoring techniques with a futuristic vision. He was at the vanguard of a group of designers who embraced extraordinary theatricality and conceptual presentation. This dress forms part of McQueen's Spring/Summer 200 collection. The design features a vibrant, digitally printed textile with layered photographic images of a variety of reptile skins. Shown on the catwalk with vertiginous, claw-like shoes, the look dominated fashion pages and commentary in the months after McQueen's fashion show. This catwalk presentation was also notable for being one of the first to be streamed live onto the internet, where people could watch it in real time, free of charge. |
| Bibliographic reference | Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6.
This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.11-2010 |
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| Record created | March 30, 2010 |
| Record URL |
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