Nearly a year after Kering named Seán McGirr creative director of Alexander McQueen, the young designer has released his first campaign with the luxury house. In hopes of crafting his own vision after Sarah Burton's 13-year run, McGirr paid homage to London where the label was born over three decades ago through dark yet youthful images that evoke the punk identity developed by the brand's late namesake founder.
"McQueen is a London-born brand and has always represented an idea of London that I'm deeply attached to," McGirr says in a statement. "It has a very visceral kind of energy, driven by the eclectic cast of characters you see here. I want to bring that energy to life with the rigour and raw feeling that makes the city's air hum, leaning deep into its tensions — something that feels poetic and primal; powerful and real."
The Irish designer accomplished this feat through various images photographed by Glen Luchford in undisclosed locations around the city, including shopfronts, seemingly abandoned street corners and inside homes adorned with mid-20th century decor. In one shot, one model is seen wearing hoof boots and a dress comprised of smashed bits of chandelier and red-and-orange bicycle reflectors as she sits atop a white horse at night.
McGirr made his runway debut with the brand's Fall 2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week in March featuring looks that slightly shied away from the label's dark aesthetic. It boasted fur frocks with sharp tailoring, tank dresses that resembled smash glass and hoof shoes — a nod to the original designer's infamous armadillo shoes.
Take a closer look at the campaign below.
