BOOT CAMP

How the earliest known prosthesis, dating from between 950 to 710 BC, could have easily been an accessory in Alexander McQueen’s Spring 1999 Collection, widely known as No. 13. Referred to as the “Cairo Foot,” the early Iron Age prosthetic was discovered in a burial chamber on the mummified body of an ancient Egyptian noblewoman believed to be the daughter of a high status priest. The 3,000-year-old wooden toe shows the early artistry of biomimicry as it is both prosthetic as well as cosmetic. Crafted from leather and wood, and bound together with thread, the ancient prosthesis was adjusted to precisely fit its wearer’s foot, much like McQueen’s carved ash wood prosthetic legs / boots custom made for Aimee Mullins, the muse and world-class Paralympic athlete that opened his infamous 13th show...

McQueen’s runway was colored with natural hues of raffia and lace. Leather was used to create corsets, moulded harnesses and belted collars, all adorned with primitive stitching, details no doubt inspired by the workshops of Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton, which pioneered prosthetics as a result of the grave casualties suffered during World War I. After previously collaborating with Mullins for an issue of Dazed & Confused, the designer sought to create a pair of legs for her to wear in his upcoming show. As described by the V&A… “McQueen entrusted the commission to Bob Watts of prosthetic and orthotic centre Dorset Orthopaedic. Watts was asked to create a pair of solid one-block wooden legs, inspired by a Louis XIV-style table and by woodcarvers of the period such as Grinling Gibbons… After finishing the design Watts sent the legs to wood carver and gilder Paul Ferguson who had been instructed by McQueen to carve ‘vines and leaves looking like they were growing up on the wooden prostheses’. The intricate carved decoration replaced the typical laces of a Victorian boot…” The tension between aesthetics and function may not be new to the world, but the designer’s view towards his industry’s often restrictive standards were absolutely modern. “I suppose the idea is to show that beauty comes from within.” said McQueen. • All Collages by Moi