The McQ label is expanding quickly, especially in Asia, where eighteen franchised stores are set to be up and operating by year s end. It s not hard to understand this diffusion line s success. Alexander McQueen, both the man and the label run by Sarah Burton since her mentor s death, has one of the most identifiable and strongest signatures in fashion. With years and years of clothes to riff on, Burton will never run out of ideas for this little-sister label. For Spring, several McQueen shows got callouts. Plato s Atlantis, his penultimate collection, was an obvious reference point for the digital sea reptile motif on a short dress. The bunny costume the designer wore to take his Spring 2009 bow was reproduced as a print on sweatshirts. You could see those becoming collector s items on par with the Kenzo sweatshirts, if the brand opted to give this collection the bigger platform of a fashion show. As of now, Burton and co. are content to play it low-key. Also on the racks were staples like biker jackets, denim (including a great pair of super high-waisted jeans), and McQueen s signature sharp tailoring. Side by side with the fierce tuxedo dresses, lace-print jeans and lace-inset knits looked a bit insipid, but overall this was all salable stuff.
