Alexander McQueen stages London Fashion Week comeback

London - Iconic fashion label Alexander McQueen returned to the London Fashion Week catwalk on Sunday for the first time in 14 years with a collection by British designer Sarah Burton.

Models on a labyrinthine catwalk presented flowing embroidered dresses with vivid butterfly motifs, glittery hairpieces and striking winter jackets. The event at Lawrence Hall, a 1920s exhibition venue in central London, attracted some of the biggest names in fashion, including Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of US Vogue.

The label's founder McQueen, who committed suicide in 2010, was honoured last year with a retrospective at London's Victoria & Albert Museum which became its most visited exhibition.

Burton joined his company in 1996 and was made head of womenswear design in 2000. Burton worked alongside McQueen for more than 14 years and was appointed creative director of the brand in May 2010.

The label, which usually shows in Paris, broadcast its one-off return to London on Sunday evening live on Twitter. Once a relatively small event on the international fashion circuit, London has built a reputation for invention and creativity, buoyed by Britain's growing fashion industry which now supports almost 800,000 jobs.

Many of this year's shows have been streamed live across Britain on 60 outdoor screens, including a giant one in London's Piccadilly Circus. Organisers say they could reach a potential audience of 35 million, according to organisers.

Sales of womenswear in Britain hit 27 billion pounds (38.5 billion dollars, 34.5 billion euros) in 2015. The event follows on the heels of the New York version, with the fashion world shifting to Milan and then Paris next month. (AFP)

Photos: AFP