I would like to introduce Alexander McQueen's work Black duck feathers from his 2009 autumn/winter show The Horn of Plenty this week.
Image 1. Alexander McQueen, Black duck feathers, 2009
It's a Black duck feathers from Alexander McQueen's 2009 autumn/winter show The Horn of Plenty. There is a knee length dress made from hundreds of thousands of intertwined black dyed duck feathers and a tight-fitting head cap.
Combining the color of the dress which is mainly black and the material of the dress which are feathers, the dress gives me a feeling of silence, death, and solemn. The black duck feathers dress reminds me of the Plague doctor, which was also depicted with black coat and bird-related features.
Image2. Paul Fürst, engraving (coloured), c. 1656
I would like to talk about the color more specifically, the color black symbolizes evil, darkness, night, and despair. It conveys authority and certainty, and when used opposite white, it symbolizes the eternal struggle between good and evil, right and wrong, and day and night. (Kate Smith, n.d.)
"Feathers play such an important role in McQueen’s work. He loved birds. And feathers was a material that he would revisit again and again in his work." said by Andrew Bolton. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011)
His words remind me of another McQueen's work Coat of duck feathers painted gold, skirt of white silk embroidered with gold thread from his 2010 autumn/
winter show Ensemble.
Image 3. Alexander Mcqueen, Coat of duck feathers painted gold, skirt of white silk embroidered with gold thread, 2011.
McQueen introduce this show with “It is important to look at death because it is a part of life. It is a sad thing, melancholy but romantic at the same time. It is the end of a cycle—everything has to end. The cycle of life is positive because it gives room for new things.” (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011)
I was fascinated with his idea of combining the idea of death and romantic with black feathers on a "romantic" shape.
He used the focus of fantasy to express intense emotions such as terror, awe, and joy during the Romantic period of the 18th century. The period was characterized by scientific rationalization of nature and a heightened sense of enlightenment. He transformed a human into a bird using the romantic symbol of death, the raven, from Edgar Allen Poe's poem "The Raven" from 1845. Also, he manipulated the proportions of a 1950s haute couture hourglass figure.
In addition to corseted waistlines, McQueen favored structured shoulders as well. Combining his trademark precision and tailoring with unbridled creativity, he fashioned an avian-shaped form, narrow at the waist, hips and shoulders, with exaggerated feathers appearing as the model's wings.(Susan Edwards, 2015)
I love this work for two reasons. Firstly, I like his way of using black feathers to present the idea of death. It's not easy to make a dress completely covered with feathers, but he did it and the outcome is amazing.
Secondly, I love the way he designed the waist, hips and shoulders. Women in his dress always seem more powerful. Just like he said "I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress.".
Reference List
Kate Smith, Color symbolism & meaning of black. (No date) Available at: Meaning Of Black: Color Psychology And Symbolism (sensationalcolor.com) [Accessed 7th February 2023]
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dress, The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10. (2011) Available at: Dress, The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10 | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (metmuseum.org) [Accessed 7th February 2023]
Susan Edwards, A SAVAGE BEAUTY. (2015) Available at: A SAVAGE BEAUTY | Art in the Contemporary World (acw.ie) [Accessed 7th February 2023]
Image Reference List
Image 1. Alexander McQueen, (2009). Black duck feathers. Available at: Dress, The Horn of Plenty, autumn/winter 2009–10 | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (metmuseum.org). [Accessed 7th February 2023]
Image 2. Paul Fürst, (1656). engraving (coloured). Available at: Paul Fürst, Der Doctor Schnabel von Rom (coloured version) - Plague doctor - Wikipedia. [Accessed 7th February 2023]
Image 3. Alexander McQueen, (2011). Coat of duck feathers painted gold, skirt of white silk embroidered with gold thread. Available at: Style: Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty, at The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 2011 (thecityreview.com). [Accessed 7th February 2023]
Thank you.
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