PapierblogDigital.Fashion

We love it when our favorite designers collaborate with our favorite street brands. Thus, a partnership between Alexander McQueen and Puma seemed like a match made in hipster chic heaven–both are edgy and epitomize urban individualist style. Glancing over the shoes, they are a fantastic fusion of McQueen and Puma, retaining both McQueen’s fierce, forceful designs and Puma’s hip, causal style. But, the touted concept of the collection, which is vainglorious even by fashion industry standards, casts a shadow over the otherwise innovative collaboration.

McQueen’s self promotion almost reaches the nausea-inducing David Blaine level. First, the concept of the collection is based around the “ManCat”—supposedly McQueen’s own body (since not just any bloke will do) merged with a Puma.

Above is the image of what is supposedly Alexander McQueen’s half of the ManCat’s genetic composition. Yeah, right. Alexander McQueen has suddenly transformed into the chiseled figure of Michelangelo’s sculptures incarnate. May I remind you of what Alexander McQueen actually looks like:

I’d be willing to give a pass on that, if it weren’t for the most egregious, self-indulgent aspect of the campaign: “The impression of Alexander McQueen’s own foot has been suspended in a transparent rubber outsole for one of the iconic styles of the collection.”


This is based on the commercial assumption that the imprint of McQueen’s own foot on the sole of a shoe would make it more appealing. It’s creepy, in poor taste, and assumes a lot (like, that anyone beyond the upper echelons of haute society could identify who Alexander McQueen is) about the average Joe who just needs some footwear to kick around in on the weekends.