Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) Men's Bleached Denim Trench Coat, Autumn/Winter 1996 'Dante' Colle...

Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) Men's Bleached Denim Trench Coat, Autumn/Winter 1996 'Dante' Collection Tailored unlined bleached denim with raw edging detail, button fastening and slated pockets at the hips Italian size L, chest 40', hips 36', 128cm long Footnotes: Dante was Alexander McQueen's career-defining eighth collection, consisting of 82 looks including, for the first time, menswear. Named after the 14th-century Florentine poet, writer, and philosopher Dante Alighieri and inspired by his famous work, Divine Comedy, this collection was a commentary on religion, war and innocence, and was dedicated to his long-time friend and muse, Isabella Blow. The runway show was staged in the Christ Church in Spitalfields, East London, on the 1st of March 1996, which was significant because of the collection's theme and because of McQueen's personal links to the church. Christ Church was built by Nicholas Hawksmoor, believed to be a secret Satanist, between 1714 and 1729, and McQueen's mother, Joyce, an amateur genealogist, discovered that their family was descended from Huguenots who settled in the Spitalfields area, many of whom were baptised and buried in Christ Church. Regarding the setting, McQueen said at the time, 'I think religion has caused every war in the world, which is why I showed in a church.' To further emphasise the theme, McQueen had a skeleton sit front row during the show. The clothing itself drew inspiration from mourning garments, as lace appeared throughout, and monochromatic colours dominated. One of the most iconic pieces was a lilac and black beaded corset, which represented the colours and beading work associated with one stage of mourning in the Victorian Era. Other garments featured Don McCullin's photographs taken during the Vietnam War (1955-1975) printed on jackets. It was also the first time that McQueen used bleached denim, which he would use in future collections. Philip Treacy, who created the headpieces for the show, explained that, 'when he did that show, suddenly people could see [McQueen's] potential, because it was beautifully done.' It was certainly the show that gained McQueen international attention, and led to LVMH appointing McQueen the creative director of the French haute couture house, Givenchy, later that year. After being shown at London Fashion Week, Dante was presented again in a disused synagogue on New York's Lower East Side. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing