| dbo:abstract | - The Widows of Culloden (Autumn/Winter 2006; Scottish Gaelic: Bantraich de cuil lodair) is the twenty-eighth collection by British designer Alexander McQueen for his eponymous fashion house. Widows was inspired by McQueen's Scottish ancestry, and was named for the widows left behind following the Battle of Culloden, the final confrontation of the Jacobite rising of 1745 and a major struggle between Scotland and England. The collection focused on a Scottish theme, with extensive use of the McQueen family tartan and traditional gamekeeper's tweeds, as well as other elements taken from Highland dress. Fur and feathers were used for trim and accessories, further referencing the Scottish tradition of gamekeeping. Historical elements harkened back to the fashion of the late Victorian era and the 1950s, as well as military dress of World War II. The collection's runway show was staged on 3 March 2006 at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, and was dedicated to Isabella Blow, McQueen's friend and muse. The show marked a return to theatricality for McQueen, whose shows in the preceding two seasons had been comparatively conventional. Widows was presented on a square stage of rough wood with a glass pyramid at its centre. Fifty-one ensembles were presented across roughly three phases, ending with a Pepper's ghost illusion of English model Kate Moss projected within the glass pyramid. Response to The Widows of Culloden was positive. Critics were particularly impressed with McQueen's tailoring – the designer's signature – and the collection's balance of artistry with commercial practicality. The show is regarded in hindsight as one of McQueen's best, with the illusion of Kate Moss regarded as the highlight of the show and one of McQueen's most dramatic runway moments. Ensembles from Widows are held by various museums and have appeared in exhibitions, including the McQueen retrospective Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty. The Widows of Culloden collection and show, especially the Kate Moss illusion, have been extensively analysed through various critical lenses. Academics have explored the show as an exploration of gothic literature in fashion, highlighting its historicism and air of melancholy and drawing comparisons with classic literature. It is frequently discussed with McQueen's first Scottish-themed collection, (Autumn/Winter 1995), which had an extremely controversial runway show. (en)
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