McQueen ventures into mystical territory for Spring-Summer 2025, as Creative Director Seán McGirr marks his debut campaign through the fierce spirit of Irish folklore. Photographed by Glen Luchford against the dramatic backdrop of Wales' historic Llansteffan Castle, the fashion house's new campaign begins a bold new chapter in McQueen's storied legacy.
Against the weathered stones of Llansteffan Castle and along Wales' misty shores, McQueen's vision materializes where ancient meets avant-garde. The collection draws its soul from the banshee - that mysterious feminine force of Irish mythology whose ethereal presence has echoed through centuries of Celtic storytelling. McGirr, reflecting on this powerful muse, shares a personal connection: "The banshee was a figure that was very present in my childhood imagination growing up in Ireland. She embodies a sense of strident self-expression that resonates now; something freeing that drives connection with others."
The collection unfolds as a dialogue between structure and spirit, where masterful tailoring meets otherworldly technique. Razor-sharp suiting in obsidian and ivory commands attention with sculptural shoulders and decisive waistlines, while diaphanous gowns seem to float like spectral apparitions, their cobweb lace, pleated chiffon, and shredded silk organza bearing witness to the house's virtuosic craftsmanship. Through this ethereal landscape, a controlled palette of ivory, silvered grey, and deep black is illuminated by sudden flares of yellow and orange - like distant warning fires in the night - manifesting what McGirr calls "the balance of strength and fragility."
Under Sarah Richardson's masterful styling, a carefully curated ensemble of models moves through the ancient stones like modern-day apparitions. The campaign unfolds as a complete sensory experience: Christopher Simmonds' art direction cultivates a haunting gothic romance, while Meshach Henry's choreography imbues each frame with spectral motion. This visual poetry finds its sonic companion in "Consistent Dedication" by Heartworms, whose dark synth-pop melodies and literary undertones echo through the castle ruins.
The collection's accessories speak their own folkloric language - sculptural jewelry appears as talismans from ancient Irish lore, while commanding boots and buckled shoes anchor ethereal silhouettes with a defiant spirit. Throughout, McGirr's vision of the McQueen woman emerges: powerful yet otherworldly, rooted in tradition yet unbound by it.
Launching globally on February 6, 2025, the McQueen collection and Spring-Summer 2025 campaign heralds a house in creative metamorphosis. As the pieces prepare to grace McQueen boutiques and select luxury retailers worldwide, they carry with them the whispers of ancient stories retold through the lens of contemporary luxury. In McGirr's hands, the legendary house begins a new chapter, one where the boundaries between heritage and innovation, power and poetry, dissolve into something entirely new.
