British designer brand McQueen has unveiled its Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, led by Creative Director Seán McGirr with photography and direction by Glen Luchford. The campaign’s models exude a sense of medieval aristocratic allure and opulence, paying homage to 19th-century aestheticism figures such as Irish writer Oscar Wilde, performer Vesta Tilley, and American painter Romaine Brooks.
Seán McGirr explains, “This collection is rooted in uncompromising self-expression from independent thinkers, exploring the tension between tradition and transgression. Its pioneering spirit—addressing contemporary questions of character, identity, idealism, and gender—resonates with particular depth today.”
Vesta Tilley, active in the UK from the 1870s to 1920s, was renowned for her male impersonations, while Romaine Brooks, an American painter born in Rome, identified as a lesbian and adopted androgynous styles early on. Brooks is celebrated for her gray-toned female portraits, which inspired this season’s imagery. The McQueen FW25 campaign can also be seen as a celebration of feminism and feminine will, manifested through a fusion of Victorian and Gothic dark aesthetics.
In the campaign, models in black leather jackets twist their bodies and gaze distantly with a dreamlike intensity. One supports herself on the ground while another wears a black long coat paired with stiletto boots; black lace and flowing hair evoke a restless, untamed spirit. The gray-toned, human-focused visuals echo the cold palette of Romaine Brooks’ paintings, now draped in McQueen’s FW25 collection, featuring draping, lace, and court-inspired tailoring. The designs recall the visual language of 19th-century aristocratic attire, conveying a proud, rebellious elegance that defies the passage of time.
