What… The Orchid Pink Bag

Fashion : Love

26 November 2019

What… The Orchid Pink Bag by Alexander McQueen

Why… Because beauty need not be abashed

No shrinking violet, the Story bag from Alexander McQueen in hot, orchid pink makes a statement. Sarah Burton's McQueen is infused with heavy research, her collections, the result of long, in-depth material, textile, story-sourcing research, and something as simple as a new bag shape and colourway gets no different treatment.

The Story - inspired by the endangered and extinct flower species referenced in her Spring/Summer 2020 ready-to-wear collection for Alexander McQueen - expels extreme softness with clean, military-like sculptural lines that are combined to make a classic handbag. Multi-functional, the Story can be worn either across the body using the detachable adjustable strap, held from the top leather handle or transformed it into a clutch using the front brass-finished handle. We love a bag that embodies creative potential alongside a reverence for nature.

The runway collection, awash with florals in the form of layered dahlia-esque organza spikes, hibiscus embroidery, lace and prints were all created in response to the botanicals held in the glasshouses and archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. With her tenure at McQueen in full bloom, Burton’s ongoing focus on British craft heritage, conservation and sustainability is clear. A proponent of ‘slow fashion’ she designs pieces with longevity in mind. She said of the collection, “Each look tells its own story. The connection between the clothes is the time it took to make them”.

The Story is a celebration of the radiant beauty and fragility of nature and its colour way a reminder that all is not lost. As McQueen shares in their story about the Story, “the hearts of women and the hearts of flowers – both exposed and protected – are intertwined.”