"Each Piece Is As Unique As He Was"

Those few simple words so eloquently sum up the final pieces to emerge from the hands of a true master. A collection of just sixteen looks floated through the salon headquarters of Francois Pinault to sobering opera music, moving some onlookers to tears as they are reminded of a talent gone too soon.

The final dramatic looks produced by Alexander McQueen just weeks before taking his own life, are incredibly beautiful drawing inspiration from Byzantine art, Old Master paintings and even carvings of Grinling Gibbons. Beautiful embroidered bodices and gowns with the most intricate draping techniques combine to produce a retrospect of fashion centuries old that only McQueen could make so effortlessly modern.

He continued to expound upon his digital print techniques used in seasons past to create one-of-a-kind woven fabrics of entire bodies of art, masterfully manipulating them into sharp angled sleeves or billowing pleated pouf dresses. Our personal favorite was the finale look featuring a gold leaf coat placed over a full skirt with a gilded embroidered hemline. The craftsmanship and depth of his creative mind are undeniable through this garment.

Some of his best work to date, McQueen left enormous shoes to fill for whomever the successor will be. Until then, the Fein girls leave you with sixteen reasons to never forget Alexander McQueen.