This dress is a piece from the Spring 2004 season at McQueen and it is stunning. In the show that year you can see dresses with a similar cut. This would have been a dress produced for the shops in limited quantities and it is gorgeous. The FIDM Museum said of the show; "Deliverance, Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2004 fashion show was the hit of the season. Based on the 1969 film, "They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?" Deliverance subverted the typical fashion show narrative by reversing the order of presentation; evening gowns kicked off the extravaganza while faux-homespun daywear and a tarnished evening gown concluded the show. This narrative mirrored the film, which documents a Depression-era dance marathon. In order to earn a cash prize the hopeful participants must dance for days with only brief breaks for food and short naps. Lack of sleep and food, paired with non-stop dancing, drives the dancers to the point of emotional and physical collapse and ends in tragedy... 20 trained dancers paired with 20 models, all of whom rehearsed for two weeks. Deliverance began with models and dancers moving about the dance floor with a sense of eagerness and purpose, dressed in delicate gowns. By the end of the show, the dancer/models struggle to stay upright while dressed in patchwork garments representative of their overall decline.The emotional and physical deterioration in Deliverance is typical of McQueen’s work, which frequently explores themes related to violence and decay. Garments, particularly in his early collections, are often intentionally cut and torn and his fashion shows have been called a “theatrical staging of cruelty.”Though it almost seems counterintuitive, McQueen has expressed a strong interest in creating a feminine persona that is intimidating in its visual power."

I love the strong nod to the bias cut pieces of the 1920s and 1930s that the dress has. Once on the body it just glides into place spectacularly. The fabric is fantastically light and easy against the skin. It is a bias cut silk that weighs ounces. Onto it is with a beautiful tie-dye feeling pattern that covers the entire dress. It is impossible to convey the lightness and movement that this dress has in person. The neckline falls into a V at the front and the silk is meant to just skim over the bust and waist. Little straps come out from the top on each side of the front, curve over the shoulders, and crisscross over each other at the back. The shoulder treatment on the dress is amazing. A panel of the same silk has been attached to each strap and set in on a soft ruffle from where it begins at the front to where it crosses over itself at the back. These create soft little caps on the top of your shoulders. Where the dress crosses over itself at the back is where the ruffles end and then the dress has an opening below that to leave a bare expanse of skin showing. It is so unusual and really illustrates his genius eye for the way a piece sits on the body. I also love how the sleeves sit so softly on the top of the shoulders. They have the feeling of being meant to slip off the shoulder at any moment. You can see how good this is in the photos and it is even better in person. It skims over the bust, waist and hips so is very easy to wear. Where the skirt is set in under the waist, it is all done in little curving peaks and individual panels that widen out as they near the hem. There are eight in total and the amount of fabric that this gives to the skirt is incredible. When you move the skirt swoops out with a ton of fabric and then falls in soft folds all the way around you when you stand. It is breathtaking. This is a stunning and rare McQueen and showcases just what a master cutter he was. Excellent condition. 

Unlined and closes with a hidden set back zipper. Tagged a vintage MCQueen 40. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. The bias cut of the silk allows it some give and I have given the comfortable range of measurements below.

Bust: to 15-19.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 12-15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Total Length: approx 62" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD4987

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