Nineties Supers Join Kaia Gerber On Alexander McQueen’s A/W´20 Runway

Alexander McQueen’s autumn/winter 2020 show at Paris Fashion Week was inspired by Wales, but the star of the show was Scottish. The ’90´s supermodel Kirsty Hume joined fashion week’s current darling Kaia Gerber on the runway on Monday night. The duo headed up a diverse cast that also included Hume’s peers Amber Valletta and Malgosia Bela, girls of the moment Adut Akech and Binx Walton, and curve models Jill Kortleve and Paloma Elsesser.

“All of the women in the show are amazing characters, they have their own stories that they bring to the clothes,” creative director Sarah Burton told British Vogue after the show. Hume, an Ayrshire-born bohemian who now resides in LA’s hippie heartland Topanga Canyon, and was perfectly cast to model a collection rooted in nature, brought her story to a soft lilac halterneck dress, draped over a contrasting black leather corset harness. Gerber, meanwhile, wore a dramatic black wool silk tailored evening jacket with trompe-l’œil layered lapels and sculpted heart sleeves in double duchesse satin.

Valletta, newly unveiled as British Vogue’s contributing sustainability editor, wore a blush pink double duchesse silk jacket and long tapered trousers, while fellow ’90s face (and Luca Guadagnino muse) Bela walked in a tailored single-breasted black leather coat with guipure lace detail inspired by traditional Welsh love spoons.

Decorated with symbols of love and traditionally presented as a gift of romantic intent, Welsh love spoons fashioned in crystal, metal threadwork, sequins and beads also dangled from Akech’s spectacular silver dress.

The spoons weren’t the only romantic touch. Elsesser’s red and black metallic dress with black tulle and crinoline underskirts was inspired by 17th century love letters. Daffodils and leeks also featured in Burton’s whimsical homage to the land of dragons, etched into micro silver cases that were suspended from leather harnesses and positioned on models’ hips. The real love letter here was to Wales.