A crimson tartan suit may not immediately evoke the “spooky season” mood of October, as would, say, a black-lace gown or blood-red velvet cape. Then again, there’s always more to an Alexander McQueen design than at first appears. In the case of this striking wool skirt set from the late designer’s Fall/Winter 2006 collection, woven into the textile’s bright exterior is a dark exploration of the heritage of the garment’s pattern — and that of its creator.
The suit is offered on 1stDibs by Les Merveilles de Babellou, a seller located just outside of Paris that specializes in important archival fashion. It is from McQueen’s acclaimed collection the Widows of Culloden — a somber reference to a 1746 battle near Inverness, Scotland, that initiated a period of British persecution and oppression of the Scottish people. Full of rich cultural iconography, that collection is often viewed as a follow-up to McQueen’s Fall 1995 one, the sensationally titled Highland Rape. The name did not allude to a physical assault but rather to Britain’s violent seizure of Scottish land. This bloody history was a deeply personal inspiration for McQueen, whose paternal line can be traced back to the Scottish Isle of Skye, which is where the designer’s ashes were scattered.
McQueen’s early training as a tailor is evident in the suit’s fitted, sharply cut jacket and waistcoat. In contrast, the skirt is asymmetrical and appears to be almost haphazardly constructed. That is by design, as McQueen had a knack for subverting the traditional methods he learned on London’s famed Savile Row. The intentionally uneven skirt is secured with a kilt pin featuring intricate brass filigree, another nod to McQueen’s heritage.
The juxtaposition of the suit’s differently constructed elements perfectly represents who McQueen was as a designer. The ensemble was also made from the McQueen (or MacQueen) family tartan. This pattern featured prominently in the designer’s 1995 and 2006 Scottish-themed collections, alongside theatrical lace ruffles, thick cable knits and splendidly macabre taxidermy-bird headpieces by famed milliner and longtime McQueen collaborator Philip Treacy.
The McQueen family tartan was also worn by the designer and Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2006 Met Gala, whose theme was Tradition and Transgression in British Fashion. (Parker, enamored with McQueen’s talent as a designer, has said she asked to attend the event with him.) Dressed in coordinating ensembles, the pair paid homage to the designer’s heritage.
Unafraid to reference subjects like sanity, violence and mortality, McQueen had a singular approach to fashion. It is evident in this suit, which inhabits the space between light and darkness that his work always occupied. Tartan has a timeless quality that plays well at autumn gatherings. While it may not be the obvious choice for Halloween, once you know what this particular plaid signifies, there’s no design (or designer) better suited to the holiday.
