"Armadillo"

Alexander McQueen|Alexander McQueen

spring/summer 2010 · snakeskin, leather metal, wood, synthetic · Costume Institute

For his 2010 show titled “Plato’s Atlantis,” Alexander McQueen imagined a world in which the seas had risen and humankind was evolving to survive underwater. The collection features fantastical designs that suggest the morphing of our bodies into human-animal hybrids. These signature boots represent a hooflike extension of the wearer’s body and also evoke the graceful arch of a ballerina standing en pointe. Not intended to be commercially produced, the boots were nevertheless designed and crafted with precision. The hand-carved wood platforms provide a base for the ball of the foot, and an additional wooden support built out above the toe facilitates the lifting of the heavy footwear while walking.

Artist

Alexander McQueen|Alexander McQueen

Date

spring/summer 2010

Medium

snakeskin, leather metal, wood, synthetic

Culture

British

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Alfred Z. Solomon-Janet A. Sloane Endowment Fund, 2016