Alexander McQueen’s Spring 2008 show stood as a tribute to the woman who discovered him – Isabella Blow, who took her own life earlier this year after a long bout with depression. Naturally, you can’t honor Isabella Blow without taking into account her collection of Phillip Treacy hats. McQueen’s models wore headgear that ranged from simple feathered creations to a full fencer’s mask. A rainbow colored dress with its winged feather collar both paid homage to Blow and made allusion to a phoenix rising. And after a not-so-successful show last year, McQueen may well have needed a rebirth of sorts.

So how did the bad-boy designer reinvent himself? McQueen looked to the ‘40’s for his throwback to rolled bangs and structured suits. Yes, even McQueen has come under the spell of the structured shoulder as seen at Dior. Feminine suits were fitted at the waist and topped with strong shoulders. I loved his use of gray and red in a flowing ombre dress. I was really interested to see what McQueen would do accessories-wise and I have to say that I was impressed by his red stilettos with gold tipped toe and ultra-ladylike croc clutch. This collection is all about McQueen’s interpretation of the femme fatale with a little bit of Blow thrown in for good measure.