Alexander McQueen went down in history as a visionary capable of creating new realities through clothing. He took materials and ideas and crafted them to perfection, always maintaining an avant-garde and daring touch, as well as an artistic factor that elevated his garments to the category of art. In his final show, Plato’s Atlantis, a futuristic facet wrapped in rigid layers of iridescence was revealed.

McQueen found the middle ground between spectacle and fashion through his splendid skill for conceptualization. He created characters that coexisted in the same space, known as the runway. In his 2009 presentation, models modified with alien features walked among the ocean, crustaceans, and reptiles, creating fashion's first viral moment via the very first live stream broadcast through the SHOWstudio platform.

When we think of McQueen, we might imagine his headpieces, the layered dresses, Joan of Arc, or technological armor, but it is also inevitable to evoke the iconic Armadillo shoe presented in this collection: this 12-inch-high item brought an even more alien touch to the models' slender silhouettes, creating protrusions that enhanced the entire outfit.

In addition to making the runway go viral, artists like Daphne Guinness and Lady Gaga helped elevate it as a staple in pop culture. The armadillo silhouette, the form-fitting dresses, and the three-dimensional textiles were symbols of extravagance, power, and sophisticated edge. Bio-organisms now lived in the form of pleated tulle and organza, while the pattern-making of the dresses and the inclusion of prints gave the collection that reptilian touch, perfect for defining the next era of digital fashion.

McQueen never stopped inspiring, experimenting, and trying to revolutionize the world, far beyond fashion. In Plato’s Atlantis, he left a message for posterity that would become the most important of his career: fashion must be admired by everyone; it must impact, portray, and elevate our reality to an unthinkable status. Art—the mere art of contemplating and creating something from it—is the first step to being etched in time as a courageous visionary.