Official tri-fold invitation for Alexander McQueen's memorable 'Dante' fashion show, intricately staged inside London's candlelit Christ Church Spitalfields on March 1, 1996, as part of the designer’s Autumn/Winter 1996 collection. The front, or exterior, of the invitation, measuring 11.75″ x 4″ unfolded, depicts a series of four Baroque-style angels, with dedication to magazine editor Isabella Blow, and a black felt tip notation, “Guest of Rose”; the reverse, or interior, shows the close-up image of a dog’s mouth with white text, “Alexander McQueen,” and the adjacent panels featuring date, venue, and contact information in white text against a black background. In fine condition. The collection was named for the 14th-century Italian poet Dante Alighieri, whose Divine Comedy portrays an allegorical vision of the afterlife; the show, in the words of McQueen, was about 'war and peace through the years.' According to his collaborator Philip Treacy, Dante was the show that elevated McQueen’s career to the international level: 'The thing is, everybody loves Alexander now, but they didn’t at the beginning…when he did that show, suddenly people could see his potential, because it was beautifully done.' From The Alexander McQueen Archive of Ruti Danan. Learn more about Alexander McQueen.
