McQ Comes Home

MCQ FALL 2011

Despite the tragic death of Lee Alexander McQueen last year, the house of McQueen continues to charge forward, pushing the boundaries of contemporary fashion. From Kate Middleton’s strong-yet-angelic royal wedding dress to McQueen’s hyper-feminine aquatic-inspired Spring/Summer 2012, creative director Sarah Burton has ensured that Mr. McQueen’s rebellious quest for shocking beauty lives on.
 
Today, it was announced that the house’s affordable McQ range will not only open its first stand-alone store in London this spring, but will also show for the first time in February during London Fashion Week. Located on Central London’s Dover Street, near ACNE and Rei Kawakubo’s conceptual retail mecca, Dover Street Market, the flagship will be a four story Georgian Townhouse filled with menswear, womenswear and accessories.
 
Launched in 2006, McQ embraces the McQueen spirit via structured ladylike silhouettes, high-impact prints and smart suiting. And although its prices, which range from $165 for a draped cotton tank to $2,810 for a shearling coat, aren’t as lofty as those of the main line, its highly designed garments and accessories are not lacking in impact. With fans like Emma Watson and Rihanna, who recently wore fall’s tartan puffball mini dress on the X-Factor, McQ’s renegade, hard-edged looks have captivated a youthful generation of styleites. And if Spring/Summer 2012, which features a voluminous metallic pleated skirt, sculptural black dresses and a houndstooth-leopard print hybrid, was any indication, the McQ show will undoubtedly be one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week.