East End Caricatures Star In Seán McGirr’s Debut McQueen Campaign
Following his critically reported on debut as creative director of McQueen, Seán McGirr unveils a campaign that captures London’s eclecticism.
Following his critically reported on debut as creative director of McQueen, Seán McGirr unveils a campaign that captures London’s eclecticism.
First comes the show then comes the campaign. That’s the usual scheduling of a collection lifecycle and Seán McGirr’s debut as creative director of McQueen is no different. Set against the backdrop of East London, McGirr’s A/W 24 campaign captures the renegade glamour of the city’s youth — the diverse characters navigating concrete banks and sprawling streets, seeking its primal pleasures. ‘Tactile’, ‘twisted’, and ‘taut’, the designer’s terms of choice to describe his ‘animal opulence’ come to life.
Teaming up with master image-maker Glen Luchford, McGirr’s campaign (much like his collection) was inspired by the duality of London as a harsh, dynamic backdrop filled to the brim with interior elegance. This visual feast of textures and details is a testament to McGirr's vision, blending the brand's iconic edge with a fresh, urban vitality. It’s a celebration of the city’s resilient spirit, embodied in the youth who wear these designs with an effortless blend of rebellion and sophistication.
The flash of a hard metal T-bar buckle, cool-to-the-touch against rich, oxblood leather — the Sling bag, strapped tightly and held close to the body. The same buckle restrains the trailing tendrils of the Fringe loafer, showcasing McQueen's signature fusion of utility and opulence. Constricted or cocooning, their uniform is one crafted for basal instinct — for the sensuous pleasure of great, swaddling shearling clashed with the hardened fragments of modern life.
With an emphasis on contrasting textures and the interplay between softness and structure, McGirr reimagines McQueen's dark romance for a new generation. In choosing East London as the backdrop, McGirr taps into a locale rich with history and brimming with contemporary energy, mirroring the collection’s ethos. The juxtaposition of modernity and tradition, grit and glamour, speaks directly to McQueen’s legacy and its future sans precision and refinement and emotive narrative.
