McQueen Autumn Winter 2025: Sunflowers
Discover the deeper meaning behind Autumn Winter's 2025's sunflowers.
Drawing on the concept of Victorian dandyism, McQueen interpreted the artistry and uninhibited expression of its forebears to present a ‘Neo-dandyism’, capturing that spirit for Autumn Winter 2025.
One such figure, the Irish author and playwright Oscar Wilde, employed the emblems of naturalism to convey deeper meaning. Sunflowers embodied the idea of an individual’s pursuit of beauty and enlightenment, due to their tendency to turn toward the sun, and formed a core motif of the collection, intricately woven throughout.
Metallic Jacquards
Developed by the McQueen design studio in London and woven in Como, Italy, lustrous metallic jacquards capture light as the sunflowers would catch the sun, evoking the flowers’ unique beauty.
Crafted by expert silk weavers, gold, silver and green yarns are woven into a metallic jet-black or gold base and applied to sharp, contemporary tailoring and sculptural silhouettes.
Embroidered Artistry
The house’s signature artisanal approach to embroidery introduced innovative techniques, bringing the classic floral motif a distinctive modernism.
Beginning with a hand-drawn illustration in the studio, intricate sunflower motifs are rendered as metal studs and faceted beads on smooth black leather — a combination that contrasts the fragility of nature with powerfully sculpted silhouettes.
The technique applied to an evening cape coat evokes the codes of the Victorian gothic within intricate jet-beading applied in fine sections. The result is a subtle, worn aesthetic, reminiscent of the patina of antique Victorian heirlooms.
Crystal Jewellery
The sunflower’s unique response to the sun continues to inspire the collection’s exploration of light, evident in light-refracting jewellery.
Sculptural sunflowers are crafted in silver-toned metal and finished with metal and crystal chains cascading from the flower’s core, embodying the adornment and romanticism of the dandy movement.
