This summer I had the great fortune of going to London on an inspiration trip of sorts and as luck would have it, the V&A was showing the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty retrospective. Although I had seen the McQueen exhibit when it first opened at the Met several years ago, I couldn't resist the opportunity to see it in London, Lee's hometown.

The collection that followed shortly after Lee's death was son beautiful and strange and etherial - it is one of the handful of collections that I can honestly say brought tears to my eyes with its beauty. And there were of course many extra tears and the devastating news of his passing.

One piece in particular, a golden feathered coat with a regal, wing-like collar, simply blew me away. I was so enamored by it, asking all the details I could about it from my friends who had the honor of seeing the show in person.  I wanted to own this piece so intensely, I could taste it. I set about making my own interpretation of it, which took the form of a one shouldered, highly sculpted dress.

Below are images from the London exhibition of pieces that I simply adore and that showcase the mad genius of his imagination.

And here are images that capture a portion of my process in creating my homage to the immensely talented McQueen. Although our techniques surely differ greatly, I think the end results are quite lovely. 

I will say I did not want to see a goose feather again for a very long time...