Pantheon ad Lucem

Pantheon ad Lucem^[a] (Autumn/Winter 2004) is the twenty-fourth collection by British designer Alexander McQueen for his eponymous fashion house. Inspired by ideas of rebirth, ancient Greek garments and science fiction films including 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Star Wars (1977), the collection focused on sleek draped, wrapped, or tied jersey designs in light and neutral colours, with some evening wear in darker colours. Contrasting the slimline items were heavier garments including tweed suits and fur coats. McQueen expressed his fascination with altering the silhouette, emphasising the hips to a degree that was uncommon for him.

The runway show was staged on 5 March 2004 at the Grande halle de la Villette in Paris. In contrast to McQueen's usually bombastic presentations, the show for Pantheon ad Lucem was minimalist. Models were styled to look androgynous and somewhat alien. They wore wigs with short, tightly curled hair, echoing hairstyles found on ancient Greek statuary. The runway was a plain white circle, illuminated from below. Lighting abstractly evoked the Roman Colosseum or an alien starship. For the show's finale, model Tiiu Kuik wore a grey evening gown with an exaggerated hourglass silhouette, styled with a shoulder-piece decorated with silver orchids, and walked to the spotlit centre of the stage to the sound of a flatlining heart monitor.

Critical response to the clothing and the runway show for Pantheon ad Lucem was mixed to positive, and it is regarded as one of McQueen's less significant collections. Some critics appreciated the simple artistry of the clothing, but many had come to expect theatre from McQueen and were disappointed by its absence. The "Orchid" shoulder-piece appeared in the original 2011 staging of the retrospective exhibit Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, and a dress from the retail collection appeared at the exhibition Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse (2022).
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