Alexander McQueen Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear Collection

Another intriguing contrast played out in the collection, with Burton looking at the “ever-changing, all-encompassing magnificence” of the sky as her primary source of inspiration. The designer said she wanted to capture everything from the tranquility of a clear blue day to the unease of turbulent storms.

Cue a collection that balanced feminine and masculine, soft and hard: a puff-sleeved dress with a pastel sky print floated down the runway ahead of an androgynous suit in Prince of Wales check wool, while a tailored blazer was made softer with delicate tulle panels at the back.

Burton paired her dresses — with their romantic cloud prints, corseted bodices or couture-like embroidery — with sneakers or tough platform boots.

Such edgy details were everywhere, from the zip fastenings that spliced tailored separates to the leather bralettes and bomber sleeves on jackets — all of them in line with Burton’s vision of McQueen women as mysterious and exciting “storm chasers.”

The models were also full of contrasts. They gave new, tougher energy to traditionally feminine “princess” tulle dresses or big, parachute skirts with their buzz cuts, tattoos, and fierce attitudes — everything deemed inappropriate for women by old social standards.

“It’s very much about [dressing] these individuals who are all part of the same McQueen world. Often our designs are inspired by these girls and their characters. It’s about putting people first, before the design,” said Burton, who is part of a generation of female designers who highlight the many sides of women and reimagine femininity far beyond traditional boundaries with their work.

Elsewhere, the brand made a big accessories push, offering plenty of new shades for its Curve bucket bag and a new, briefcase-style shoulder bag with the signature knuckle fastening and a chunky chain. Footwear styles, from white sneakers to punk-ish platform boots, and low heels were cool, too — and made for women on the move.