Credit: Alexander McQueen
If the latest collections (and streetstyle) have shown a return of cowboy style, there are those who push the imagery of cowboy life even further by identifying not so much with the rider, but with the horse itself.
This is Sean McGirr, McQueen's new creative director, who in his debut Fall Winter 2024-2025 collection included a pair of boots that caught the attention of the press and social media because of their singular shape: they are shaped like a horse's hoof, complete with a tail.
For the designer, this is a tribute to his childhood, completely unrelated to the work of Alexander McQueen, whose archives he had not had time to analyze at the time of the creation of the collection. Judging by the hype it has generated in the media, also thanks to a rather significant price tag (it ranges from 2300 to 2600 euros depending on the material and details), it would also seem very much a smart move to capture the attention of a young audience, which the brand seems to be aiming at with this change in creative direction.
In brushed calfskin or pony skin, with a wedge and ultra-high heel, metal details, and literally a horseshoe instead of a sole, they seem perfect for the likes of Doja Cat or Lil Nas X, with whom the fashion house might try to build a relationship like the provocative but cultured and meaningful one it has had in the past with celebrities like Lady Gaga.
Original, but not quite, according to users, who cite the resemblance to the more understated version presented by A.F Vandevorst for Fall Winter 2009, or to the creations of taxidermy artist Iris Schieferstein.
