Set amongst the towering architectural power that is the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, Sarah Burton showed an Alexander McQueen SS23 truly worthy of the surrounding buildings. Accurate, detailed and sharp, Burton has been proving to us over and over since taking to the helm that not only is she an expert tailor, but an effortless one.

Called First Sight, the collection was all about humanity and searching for that all-important human connection using the eye as a recurring motif and symbol. The first look of the collection, a black eye line dress with a blue eye adorned to one side, set the tone for the rest to follow. One of these looks, a white dress with another a-line skirt, had an eye that resembled the sun or a bursting star, an extraterrestrial nod to the theme of the collection. While many brands could easily overdo this motif, Burton knows when to pull things back.

“Our clothes are designed to empower. They are stripped back, dissected and focused on cut, drape and silhouette. We also looked at the work of Hieronymus Bosch, at once dark and beautiful.” read the accompanying show notes. If there is one thing you can expect from Alexander McQueen, it's impeccable tailoring and Burton, after years spent with the late Lee McQueen, has cemented herself as one of the tailoring powers in the industry. There was not one look in the collection that felt out of place on the model, that looked too tight or too large (something Chanel could learn from after their recent show) and all pieces felt truly wearable. The final look, a white gown with a full skirt and adorned in thick nature-inspired embroidery could, on paper, seem rather extravagant and yet, it feels pared down, unfussy and characteristically McQueen.

If those online want to continue to pull apart Burton’s work, constantly comparing her to her predecessor they may want to begin eating their words. No one will ever design as Lee did, but Burton is more than secure in her position in this world-famous house.

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