The Spirit of Ireland at the Heart of Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2025
The Spirit of Ireland influences Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2025 campaign, where folklore meets modern design.
A cast of characters moves through castle, land, and shore, guided by an enigmatic force; light in the liminal hours, bridging the distance between them. This evocative vision, photographed and directed by Glen Luchfor, sets the tone for Alexander McQueen’s Spring Summer 2025 campaign.
At its heart is the banshee, a folkloric figure deeply embedded in the history of McQueen and the Irish heritage of Creative Director Seán McGirr.
The banshee, a spectral figure from Irish mythology, is often depicted as a wailing woman who foretells death. Far from a simple harbinger of doom, she is a complex embodiment of both sorrow and power.
“The banshee was a figure that was very present in my childhood imagination growing up in Ireland, and she has recently taken on new meaning for me.” “She embodies a sense of strident self-expression that resonates now; something freeing that drives connection with others.” - says McGirr
Traditionally, she appears as a ghostly presence, sometimes a beautiful maiden, other times an aged crone, her cries echoing through the night. This duality between beauty and darkness, fragility and ferocity, makes her a fitting muse for McQueen.
This collection translates the essence of the banshee into wearable form. Sharp, contorted tailoring meets ethereal materials, cobweb lace, pleated chiffon, silk creponne, and shredded silk organza, each piece meticulously hand-finished.
The colour palette mirrors the banshee’s spectral presence: ivory, silvered grey, and black, punctuated by bursts of yellow and orange, reflecting the interplay of strength and fragility. Accessories take on sculptural forms, while jewellery draws inspiration from objects tied to banshee lore.
McQueen’s Spring Summer 2025 collection is more than fashion; it is a myth in motion. It is the banshee reborn, not as a spectre of sorrow, but as a force of fearless self-expression.
