Iconic fashion show staged at the Old Royal Naval College

An architectural superstructure sprang from the lawns of Lower Grand Square at the Old Royal Naval College on 11 October to present the British luxury house Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection.  

This will be the second time that the brand staged a runway show in London, away from Paris since the COVID-19 pandemic.  

McQueen’s SS23 show took place in a transparent cloud-like structure against the backdrop of the magnificent classical architecture of the Old Royal Naval College and its iconic twin domes; the timeless River Thames setting with views across to London’s skyline. The bespoke temporary structure created unique opportunities to be seen from and across the river. 

The event was a collaboration between Alexander McQueen and acclaimed Chilean architect Smiljan Radić. The Old Royal Naval College worked closely with the team to oversee the event and build of the show.  

The staging for the Alexander McQueen Fashion Show, under the creative direction of Sarah Burton, OBE, at the Old Royal Naval College presented the installation of a light, transparent interior space inside a 26-metre diameter bubble. The lightness and temporary nature of the structure, contrasted with the surrounding historic buildings which have stood for hundreds of years. 

Kate Miners, Head of Visitor Experience and Commercial at Old Royal Naval College said, “We are so excited to have Alexander McQueen showing here at the Old Royal Naval college in Greenwich, southeast London. The modern otherworldly structure located against the backdrop of this historical space and classical buildings is simply jaw-dropping and created an elegant and magical atmosphere that would be very hard to replicate anywhere else. 

“Although, we are not new to large scale builds having housed film set locations for blockbuster movies, this show and venue build was ground-breaking for us because of the collaborative process, the understanding of the nature of the site and chance for fashion and history to come together to create a unique spectacle.” 

The event was live streamed and available to view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRreXdzFGsE