Alexander McQueen and Vogue Korea Birth 'In the winter of 1950, in Jongno'

Anne of Carversville is impressed. ‘In the winter of 1950, in Jogno’, published in the January 2025 issue of Vogue Korea, sets a new high bar in luxury-sponsored editorials. In this case the ‘wow’ goes to Alexander McQueen creative director Seán McGirr, who collaborated with models Sunghee Kim and Seungchan Lee, Vogue Korea senior fashion editor Kihoh Sohn [by Son Ki-ho above], and photographer Less Kim Tae Kyun [IG].

My head is still spinning with all the changes in the McQueen vision and the departure of Sarah Burton. BUT, this fashion story is superbly executed. Technically I’m not clear if the models are merged with 1950 photos of Jongo, the historical district of Seoul. Or these blocks of buildings are preserved in the way America preserves Wild West districts and small towns — which Seoul clearly is not.

Perhaps they shoot movies here? I’ve been in Jogno years ago, but don’t remember these buildings. Much of Jogno is 21st century modern today, while maintaining important historic sites. Whatever the execution strategy, the result is fantastic — especially when you read the commentary by Seán McGirr woven into the fashion story presentation on Vogue Korea online, and published in the print magazine. It’s much more specific and conversational than in the typical PR interview.

The Alexander McQueen pre-spring 2025 collection featured multiple renderings of Diego Velázquez’s portrait of the ‘Pope Innocent X [1650] executed in a silk twinset and the collection’s centerpiece – an asymmetrically draped dress that focuses on Pope Innocent’s right hand clutching a letter addressed to him by Velázquez, featured above.

What is clear is that multiple silhouettes designed by McGirr in his pre-spring or resort 2025 collection resonated with the Vogue Korea team as being totally harmonious with the Jogno district of Seoul in 1950. That dialogue accompanies the images, reinforcing my comment that this is not your typical PR designer interview.

The production all feels very handcrafted and tailored for a specific audience — and that is a beautiful quality for a fashion story to have. We are the voyeurs appreciating the South Korean connection in Vogue Korea.

I hate the word ‘authentic’ but this work qualifies and it also has ‘heart’, without saying so. You know ‘heart’ when you see it and feel a response to it. No press release tells us what has heart and what does not. To me ‘heart’ has an earnestness in execution. Typically it has pride of place and unique experience.

If you must assure us that a body of work has ‘heart’, it is devoid of sentiment and emotion.This is fashion caviar, one that even captures the ‘reserve’ or the ‘protocol’ that one experiences in Asian cultures — and especially in the 1950s.

So . . . what are you going to next Seán McGirr? Anne

PS: you might have noticed that I have a very soft spot in my heart for the South Korean people. We had a great ride together.