Analysing the relationship between the body, the dress and the movement in Alexander McQueen’s S/S 04’ fashion show “Deliverance”.

In this dissertation, an investigation into the relationship between the dress, movement and the body is carried out. Based on the scholarships of fashion and embodiment, which gained momentum in the mid-twentieth century, the significance of both is acknowledged. However, it is still frequently neglected in the studies of human corporeality that the body is almost always dressed in some type of adornment. Similarly, fashion studies often see the dresses removed from the context of the body. In the recent decade, there have been advancements in exploring dress as an embodied practice; however, there are many gaps in the discussion to fill. One such example is within the field of study of human perception. It is now widely admitted that the body is a significant site of experiential potential and, therefore, essential to be analysed in the research; it is yet to be commonplace to acknowledge that this body is most likely also dressed, which consequently means that the dress plays an integral part in affecting human perception. In this dissertation, another property of the body is taken into consideration; namely, its inherent state of motion, and the question posed aims to elaborate on the intricate relationship between the body, the movement and the dress. The chosen case study brings all three together in an unusual garment showcase. Alexander McQueen’s fashion show from spring/summer 2004, called “Deliverance”, has been inspired by a 1960s film by Sydney Pollack, “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”, an adaptation of a novel of the same title from 1935, written by Horace McCoy.As the designer set out to translate his inspiration into a collection and later a performance, he decided to utilise the movie’s central theme, a Depression-era American dance marathon, and make the show in the contest’s image. Therefore, the models presenting the looks are engaged in an exaggerated form of motion, dance moves and improvisations in order to communicate the context and message of the “Deliverance” collection. The primary source for the analysis is a recorded video of the show, which will be supported with stills and photographs from the event. A visual analysis of particular movements will be carried out and positioned against a theoretical framework exploring the theories of perception aesthetics, as well as a study of embodiment and effect.

For the full version please e-mail at dominika.szmidt96@gmail.com


Below are the AI Visual I created for the final showcase to represent my case study: