The Widows of Culloden acknowledges McQueen’s Scottish ancestry and condemns Britain’s violent colonial history, particularly the brutal 1746 Battle of Culloden, where British troops defeated the Jacobite army, later storming villages and burning buildings housing the wounded. Reprising themes at the heart of his controversial Highland Rape collection from eleven years prior, autumn–winter 1995–96, McQueen’s The Widows of Culloden collection memorialises Highlander widows left behind.
The historical and romantic silhouettes and refined construction that characterise the collection draws upon traditional MacQueen tartan and Scotland’s natural landscape. An expertly draped green jersey dress recalls the colour of the moors; heavy wool tweed evokes gamekeeping traditions. McQueen’s use of plaid references its application in support of the Jacobite cause prior to the Battle of Culloden, reclaiming tartan not as a trophy of British conquest but as a symbol of Scottish identity. Through an intimate examination of melancholy, The Widows of Culloden also finds the beauty therein.
Alexander McQueen
Look 15, from the Widows of Culloden collection, autumn–winter 2006–07
Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris, 3 March 2006
© Alexander McQueen
Photo © Robert Fairer
Model: Ana Mihajlovic
