Alexander McQueen

I saved the weirdest and wildest for last!  Alexander McQueen’s show is definitely weird and wild, with a panoply of sci-fi and fantasy imagery.  Based on the legend of Plato’s Atlantis, McQueen’s collection imagines humans returning to the ocean and re-adapting to the ecosystem.  It’s basically the premise behind Waterworld, but McQueen blows it out of the water with his awesomeness.  See the evidence after the break:

The patterns on McQueen’s dresses create a beautiful amalgam of human and animal, warm-blooded and cold-blooded.  The patterns were computer generated and digitally printed, and create gorgeous reptilian and insect-like “flesh” for the models:

Alexander McQueen's reptilian dresses

The shoes are out of this world, ranging from cloven hooves to full-on H. R. Giger.  My favorite pair looks like the model is stepping on a creature from Alien:

Queen Alien from Aliens and Alexander McQueen

As the show progresses, the hair and makeup becomes more and more alien.  The final models wear prosthetics to make them look truly extraterrestrial:

McQueen's alien makeup

Even though the show has many different influences and inspirations, it still manages to be a fresh take on an alien future, both frightful and awe-inspiring.  McQueen wins the top spot as my favorite fashion show of Spring 2010 for exhibiting how visually innovative and beautiful the science fiction and fantasy genres can be when mined for inspiration.  Hopefully geek will continue to be a major player in haute couture, and maybe even make today’s sci-fi tomorrow’s fashion!

See more of Alexander McQueen’s collection at style.com.

(All images of Alexander McQueen are property of style.com; images from Aliens distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.)

Xena and Rodarte

The sword and sandal sub-genre is all the rage in the collection by Rodarte(Kate and Laura Mulleavy). From tribal tattoos to leather lacing, the show screams “ancient warrior woman” a la Xena and Red Sonja.  With the help of dry ice mist and an unearthly green light, Rodarte transforms the runway into a fantasy world of witches, warriors, and apocalyptic wonder.  There are glimpses of both Highlander and Mad Max in the mix as well:

Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) from Highlander and Rodarte

Highlander takes the ancient magic of the past and moves it to the present day, similar to the interweaving of tartan fabrics into several of Rodarte’s modern outfits.  In the opposite corner, the Mad Max-esque (or circa 1985 Kurgan-esque) black leather patchwork outfits are both futuristic and primitive, taking the future back to the past:

Max (Mel Gibson) from Mad Max 2 and Rodarte

The collection is awesomely fierce and dramatic, made for any fantasy realm in the past, present, or future.  I would love if this could inspire an entirely new look for the modern warrior woman or post-apocalyptic wanderer!

See more of Rodarte’s collection at style.com.

(All images of Rodarte are the property of style.com; images from Xena distributed by Universal TV; images of Highlander distributed by Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation; images of Mad Max 2 distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures)

Gareth Pugh Spring 2010 RTW

Gareth Pugh’s show is space-age goth, with everything from zany headdresses to shiny sci-fi garb.  It invokes several genre giants, from Tim Burton to Star Trek, and even gives an unintentional ode to Silent Hill: the headdress on the model above reminds me of a tiny Pyramid Head with wings.  One outfit looked inspired by the Romulans in Star Trek: Next Generation:

Gareth Pugh and Romulans from Star Trek: Next Generation

After several futuristic looks, Pugh went to a more goth, horror inspired realm with black and gray clothes that appeared frayed and tattered.  He even channeled Tim Burton with a striped dress and included a cosplay-esque headdress to complete the look (see below).

Alice in Wonderland by Tim Burton and Gareth Pugh

It’s a beautiful collection that has roots in goth and the imaginations of the space age, and the combination of the two is definitely a genre I’d pay to see!

See more of Gareth Pugh’s collection at style.com.

(All images of Gareth Pugh are the property of style.com; images from Star Trek: The Next Generation distributed by Paramount Pictures; images from Alice in Wonderland distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.)

Gucci and The Fifth Element

Frida Giannini’s collection for Gucci is a mix of streamlined sci-fi and modern sporty attire, reminiscent of the zany science fiction movie The Fifth Element.  The first dress down the catwalk resembles the bandage outfit Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) sported in her first scenes of the movie:

Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) from The Fifth Element and Gucci

The bandage motif is reiterated in the shoes as well, with tall heels that sometimes wind high up the leg.  The rest of the collection is full of straps, elaborate lacing, and perfectly slicked back hair to rival Uma Thurman’s in Gattaca.

It’s sexy and futuristic, and made for a modern, urban girl who dreams of falling through the roof a heroic taxi driver.

See more of Gucci’s collection at style.com.

(All images of Gucci’s collection are the property of style.com; images of The Fifth Element distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Jonathan Saunders and Let the Right One In

Partially inspired by the Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In, Jonathan Saunders’s collection is pale and muted with pops of vibrant color.  None of the film’s darkness is encapsulated in the collection, but the whiteness of the snowy landscape and the paleness of both vampire and human is captured perfectly.  The makeup and hair of the models is simple and reminiscent of the main characters of the movie:

Eli (Lina Leandersson) and Jonathan Saunders

Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) and Jonathan Saunders

Overall, the connection between the movie and the collection is visible, but only to those who know to look for it.  Instead, it achieves a more youthful, pop flavor with floaty dresses and the occasional bold neon.  It’s an interesting way to incorporate horror with subtlety, and add a bit of life to a vampire theme.

See more of Jonathan Saunders’s collection at style.com.

(All images of Jonathan Saunders are the property of style.com; images of Let the Right One In are from outnow.ch and distributed by Sandrew Metronome Distribution and Magnolia Home Entertainment)

Spring 2010 Ready To Wear Fashion Shows

Apocalyptic sci-fi and gothic romance made big splashes in this year’s Spring 2010 Ready To Wear fashion shows.  From Gucci to Versace, designers gleaned inspiration from fantasy, horror, and apocalyptic sci-fi to create beautiful and otherworldly pieces.  This week, I’ll be counting down my Favorite 5 Fashion Shows and how their looks intersect with science fiction and fantasy.

And who knows: maybe the fashion of today will become a staple of the science fiction of tomorrow!

(All images are the property of style.com)