The collection is based on the idea of exiles travelling eastward through northern Eurasia : Siberia , Tibet , and finally Japan. The designs borrow heavily from the traditional clothing and art of those areas, and reflect an overall aesthetic of luxury, with voluminous silhouettes and rich materials.
Cultural motifs include heavy embroidery, traditional patterns, and kimono -like shapes. The runway show was staged on 8 March at the Grande halle de la Villette in Paris, with production by McQueen's usual creative team.
The set was made to look like a desolate tundra with rocks and snow. A clear plastic wind tunnel was suspended over the runway on industrial scaffolding for some models to walk through. Fifty-nine looks were presented in roughly three stages, representing the journey through each of Siberia, Tibet, and Japan.
The show ended with a model struggling through the wind tunnel in an enormous kimono. Critical reception was mostly positive and sales were reportedly strong.
Academic analysis has considered the question of whether McQueen was engaging in cultural appropriation. British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was known for his imaginative, sometimes controversial designs.
