Runway: Beehives Haute Couture: Alexander McQueen Spring 2013 RTW

Designers have found inspiration in stranger places than beehives, the contents of which gave Sarah Burton a direction for the Alexander McQueen Spring 2013 collection.

There were references to bees all over these clothes, from the beekeeper's hats the models wore down the runway to the honeycomb shaped lace Burton applied to those hats and a number of pieces in the collection. A number of garments — dresses, shirts, and jackets included — demonstrated a clever use of the wasp waist. When could it be more appropriate to revive this McQueen trope than in a collection inspired by bees?

Yes, the inspiration here came across literally, but the clothing certainly didn't suffer for it. Even the black and gold color palette that dominated the show came off as charming rather than thematic, especially in several suits made from a honeycomb jacquard. The final gowns here were dramatic as always, many of them accented by hoopskirts that were either layered on top or barely hidden by sheer fabrics or cloth flowers.

source: style.com