Fabric Creepy Crawlies Come to Life in Spot for Alexander McQueen's 2021 Gifting Collection

Alexander McQueen celebrates the launch of its 2021 gifting collection with a specially commissioned film and sequence of stills by animation director Isabel Garrett, signed to PRETTYBIRD UK.

Isabel Garrett has directed an enchanting animated film, which brings to life McQueen’s iconic skull and butterflies motifs with animated moths, beetles, spiders and snakes within a darkly lit forest. Skilled animation director Garrett has created a truly unique and original campaign for McQueen’s new gifting collection of jewellery and handbags. Garrett directed the campaign film, which was exec-produced by Juliette Larthe and produced by Chris Murdoch out of PRETTYBIRD UK.

Isabel Garrett commented: “This ad was such a joy to work on. I’ve loved McQueen’s visionary designs since being a teenager, and from the first meeting about this project I knew I wanted to try and create something which captures the magic darkness of the brand. McQueen are known for their exquisite embroidery, meticulous attention to detail and an affinity with the natural world - it felt important to pay homage to this in some way.

Using fabric in stop-motion came as a natural choice; its softness and tactility means we could design a world, which is both dark and beguiling. A team of incredibly talented makers are behind every detail in this world. To name a few; the beautiful Art Direction is by Rachael Olga Lloyd; everything is made by hand; embroidered and sewn using lots of different fabric manipulation techniques. Cinematographer Daniel Morgan did an extraordinary job of lighting each shot, and animator David McShane brought all of the creatures to life with amazing patience and skill. The film was produced by Chris Murdoch and the wonderful team at PRETTYBIRD. I’m lucky enough to be a resident of The Sarabande Foundation- a charity established by Lee Alexander McQueen to support creative talent. This is my last month at the foundation, and this collaboration feels like the perfect end to an incredible time at the Sarabande studios.”

True to the handwriting of the house, the film focuses on the natural world and the hidden treasures – both man-made and natural – that find their way into the tangled undergrowth of the forest floor. Moss, birds, beetles, spiders and snakes form a backdrop to exclusive iterations of The Curve Mini, the Small Skull bag and the Jewelled Flat Pouch.

Jewellery appears alongside, featuring talismans and charms, symbols of luck and love, also inspired by flora and fauna. Hearts, pavé skulls, horse shoes, butterflies and the McQueen seal all appear in polished gold metal, elaborately hand- carved, engraved and set with crystals and pearls.

Isabel Garrett is an animation director specialising in storytelling through stop motion and puppetry. Garrett is a resident artist at The Sarabande Foundation. The Sarabande Foundation was established by Lee Alexander McQueen to support creative talent.