McQueen Autumn Winter 2025 Pre-collection

Where counterculture and tradition became enmeshed.

An eclectic city enclave and the cast of characters that make it. A site of transgression and creative rebellion,embodying the subversive spirit of McQueen. The Soho community, past and present: writers, poets and transient figures. The irreverent artistry that defined Francis Bacon, Caroline Blackwood, Lucian Freud and Elizabeth Smart.A lineage of thinkers and artists in sharp-collared shirting, cloaked in broad-shouldered coats. Silhouettes cinched; pulled taut with a light lustre.

Sharing space with sailors; off-duty in naval tailoring and informal blousons. Rearticulated in wool silk gabardine. Tattoos traced in metallic bullion and into abstract florals. Saturated hues, reflecting the sulphuric glow of the city. A streetwise synthesis of informality and precision. Juxtaposing heritage tailoring and lace-lined satin with nylon flight jackets. Antiqued leather with deep indigo denim.

Photographed by Theo Sion at The Coach & Horses — an iconic 1950s hub where counterculture and tradition became enmeshed. The lens now turned on the Soho spirit of today: Soho George, a local personality defined by his signature tailored style, and resident jazz and blues singer, Florence Joelle. An enduring sense of community in the face of an ever-changing London.

McQueen’s Prefall 2025 collection explores heritage with a twist, spotlighting British-milled wools in boating stripes, Prince of Wales checks, and tartans. Tailoring features deconstructed canvas suiting in rich neutrals, alongside lingerie-inspired duchesse and washed satins trimmed with lace. Hand-treated leather and shearling in antiqued black and brown add depth and rugged elegance.

Embroideries draw on the graphic artistry of sailor tattoos, reimagined through iconic McQueen symbols like swallows and butterflies. These appear in metal bullion, sequins, crystals, and intricate threadwork, adding texture and shimmer to the collection’s dark romance.

Accessories reflect the house’s signature contrast of classic and subversive. Standouts include the T-Bar Sling and Skull Flower bags, 1950s-style boots, python-stamped mules, crystal-adorned skull jewellery, and minimalist eyewear with a retro silhouette.

Credits:

Creative Director: Seán McGirr
Art Director: Christopher Simmonds
Photographer: Theo Sion
Video Director: Robbie Mailer-Howat
Stylist: Sarah Richardson
Casting Director: Julia Lange
Hair: Gary Gill
Make-up: Daniel Sallstrom
Nails: Ama Quashie
Production: Farago Projects
Models: Charlize Beth, Dru Campbell, Finn Collins, Idries West, Jacqui Hooper, Libby Bennett, Song Ah Woo.