A New World of Possibility: The Alexander McQueen Film for the New Slash Bag
It's the start of a new season, and we're excited to share the latest from McQueen!Featuring Kaia Gerber, and directed by Glen Luchford, the film explores human emotion within a futuristic landscape.
It's all about the eyes.Alexander McQueen and Kaia Gerber explore what it means to be ‘More human, than human’ in the British luxury brands new accessories campaign for the Slash Bag.
In the ALexander McQueen S/S 2023 women's pre-collection, The Slash bag carries many of the signatures the house is known for and features the iconic McQueen Knuckle hardware and skull motif. The sharply cut, slashed body is inspired by the house’s sliced and slashed tailoring.
This season, we see a return to some of the classic elements of McQueen's work that made this brand so iconic: bold cuts, luxurious materials, and a willingness to experiment with new ideas. Beginning and ending with a close-up on Gerber’s’ eyes, Creative Director Sarah Burton and her team traced a thread back to the Spring summer 2023 show, where the Slash bag saw its first debut, and where eyes were featured heavily as an abstract expression of humanity and human connection across tailoring and gowns.
One of the most influential sci-fi films of all time, the dystopian neo-noir science fiction film Blade Runner was a clear influence on Burtons most recent collection of deconstructed tailoring, sculptured jewellery, and a palette of galactic red highlights. The films striking audio-visuals set the stage for the campaign films opening shot of a smog-filled cityscape of the future (reminiscent of the film Blade Runner 2049), which lends itself to McQueens signature sharp cuts as Gerber walks with urgency through brutalist buildings and clinical hallways.
In this way, Burton's new collection is an homage to McQueen's work but also a continuation of her own vision.
And so we come full circle: a bag that represents the best of us, and the worst of us. A bag that shows us the way to our humanity, and back to ourselves.
We are all searching for connection. And perhaps that can be found in the tangibility of beautiful design. From the moment you pick it up, there is no mistaking that the Slash bag is a work of art. This is a bag that will last you a lifetime, and will become more beautiful with every use.
THE KNUCKLE
Inspired by the spirit and style of London street culture, the Knuckle nods to the tough aesthetic of a knuckleduster. Hand-carved in antique silver and gold metal, its instantly recognisable skull motif has become a signature embellishment of clutches, shoulder and crossbody bags.
Shop the Slash bag here
Credits:
Alexander McQueen Creative Director | Sarah Burton
Photographer/Director | Glen Luchford
Stylist | Camilla Nickerson
Model | Kaia Gerber
Hair | Holli Smith
Makeup | Yadim
Manicurist | Emi Kudo
Casting Director | Jess Hallett
Movement Director | Julia Crockett
Producer | Partner Films
Cinematographer |Jack Webb
Production Designer | Gideon Ponte
FX Artists | Alchemy Studios
Editor | Felix Young
Music Composer & Producer | Peter Raeburn
Sound Designers | Henning Knoepfel, Nick Bozzone & Graham Norman
Music & Sound Company | Soundtree Music
ADR Supervisor | Lisa J. Levine
Post Supervisor | Gavin Emerson
VFX Supervisor | Jonah Austin
VFX | Jane Studios
Colour | Dante Pasquinelli
Executive Producer| Laura Lotti
Producer | Gabriel Hill
Line Producer | Suzy Kang
Associate Producer | Richard Polio
Assistant Director | Ev Salomon