Alexander McQueen cancels its diffusion line ‘McQ’

Alexander McQueen, the luxury label owned by Kering, has suspended its McQ secondary line that relies on a shifting creative-collective model and is considering shutting it down.

“As the fashion market is going through fast evolutions, Alexander McQueen and Kering are currently evaluating the future of McQ as a business in its current form. Consequently, commercial activities are suspended for the time being,” the spokesperson for Alexander McQueen said in an emailed statement. “The company will support McQ employees during this period until a conclusion has been reached.”

The new approach to the McQ line started before new CEO Gianfilippo Testa joined, a source close to the brand says, but the move will be a high-profile shift to start his tenure. McQ was launched in 2006 for a young and edgy audience, with the first collections including denim, sweater tanks and miniskirts.

In 2020, McQ entered a new iteration with a streetwear sensibility. Recent names include British-Japanese artist Rina Sawayama’s capsule collection Striae and a collaboration with New York artist Kevin Emerson.  It also has a separate Instagram account to the main line, with 34,400 followers and the subtitle “a new label, built on collaboration”.

It resonates with the brand ethos: Lee McQueen was known for his support of young designers. The Sarabande Foundation, set up by McQueen, also supports young emerging artists with scholarships and studio space. McQ said it was intent on giving collaborators “maximum creative freedom” including model Deba Hekmat, film director Yuen Hsieh and musical artist Shygirl at launch.

Stockists listed on the my.mcq website include Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Selfridges and Lane Crawford. McQ sweat shorts retail for $265 (marked down at $185.50) and men’s sneakers for $370 on the Bloomingdale’s website. By comparison, there are men’s shorts priced at $730 and men’s sneakers at $890 on the Alexander McQueen website. “McQ is a small part of the house’s business and probably an even smaller part of its profitability,” says Mario Ortelli, managing director of luxury advisory firm Ortelli & Co.

Still, McQ’s reliance on a creative collective has been embraced elsewhere, though with more high-profile names. Brands like Jean Paul Gaultier couture and Moncler Genius have taken a rotating designer approach to drive newness and excitement. The rotating designer model is not without its detractors, who say it makes it difficult to maintain some degree of clarity and consistency for the brand. Luxury has been leaning more on one-off collaborations like the recent Burberry Supreme collection and guest designers like ERL designer Eli Russell Linnetz for Dior Men’s.

Alexander McQueen has been one of Kering’s recent star performers. Turnover in 2021 was between €700 million and €800 million, according to analysts’ estimates. Kering doesn’t break down sales for individual brands of the “other houses” division, which also includes Balenciaga, Brioni and jewellery houses. Kering stressed Alexander McQueen’s “strong momentum” in the first quarter of 2022, following an “excellent performance” in 2021.

Founded by Lee Alexander McQueen in 1992, the house joined the Kering Group in 2001 and named Sarah Burton creative director in 2010. While smaller than Gucci and Saint Laurent, the brand’s couture ethos and ready-to-wear strength, as well as its popular sneakers, have helped propel it to mega-brand status.

Alexander McQueen Fall 2022