Alexander McQueen SS2005 - “It’s Only a Game” | Iconic Chessboard Runway Show | Fashion Archives

Alexander McQueen SS2005 - “It’s Only a Game” | Iconic Chessboard Runway Show | Fashion Archives
#AlexanderMcQueen #ss2005 #FashionArchive
📽️ Unearthed from the fashion archives – this is rare, original footage of Alexander McQueen’s legendary Spring/Summer 2005 collection, “It’s Only a Game,” captured during fashion week.

Set on a giant chessboard, this theatrical runway show stunned the industry with its concept-driven spectacle and groundbreaking designs. Each model took her place as a chess piece in a high-fashion battle of strategy and style, showcasing McQueen's genius for narrative fashion and visual storytelling.

💎 This archival video features:
• Exclusive, raw fashion week footage
• Full runway looks with minimal editing
• McQueen’s visionary design in motion
• An iconic moment in early 2000s fashion history

Step into the extraordinary world of Alexander McQueen with his iconic Spring/Summer 2005 collection, "It’s Only a Game." This unforgettable runway show turned fashion into performance art, with a life-sized chessboard as the centerpiece, bringing strategy, symbolism, and surrealism together in one groundbreaking presentation.

Staged like a theatrical chess match, each model represented a game piece moving across the board with precision and power. The collection showcased McQueen’s mastery of tailoring, storytelling, and drama, with silhouettes ranging from romantic and regal to futuristic and provocative.

🔍 Watch In this video:
✔️ Full runway show of SS05 "It's Only a Game"
✔️ Close-up details of McQueen’s avant-garde designs
✔️Top Models of 2000's
36 models walked the chessboard runway, blending Edwardian, Japanese, sci-fi, and corseted silhouettes:

Gemma Ward - @gemma
Hana Soukupová - IG: @hana_soukupova
Karen Olson @Lethaltrip_
Natasha Poly - @natashapoly
Daria Werbowy - @dotwillow
Lily Donaldson - @lilydonaldson
Solange Wilvert -@solwilvert
Maria Dvirnik
Luca Gadjus - @lucagajdus

📌 👤 Designer Bio – Alexander McQueen:

Lee Alexander McQueen (1969–2010) was a British fashion designer renowned for his boundary-pushing creativity and theatrical runway shows. As the founder of the Alexander McQueen label and former head designer at #Givenchy , McQueen blended technical precision with emotional depth, often exploring themes of power, identity, and nature. His Spring/Summer 2005 collection, "It’s Only a Game," is a celebrated example of his ability to turn fashion into a captivating narrative experience.

Inspired by a live chess match, It’s Only a Game explored themes of power, strategy, and spectacle. The runway show transformed models into chess pieces on a life-sized board, blending conceptual storytelling with high fashion. Each look was meticulously crafted to symbolize a specific chess piece, embodying its role and stature through design and color.

Key designs featured horsehair skirts with leather bodices (knight), tiered crimson lace gowns (queen), and tailored suiting with metallic embellishments (rook). The collection utilized materials such as leather, silk, lace, and synthetic textiles, with adornments including embroidery, appliqué, and metallic hardware. The color palette—black, white, red, and gold—reflected the chessboard motif.

This collection represents a pivotal moment in McQueen's career, blending fashion with theatrical performance. Described by McQueen as “a chess game where East meets West,” it stands as a testament to his innovation and multidisciplinary approach. Widely regarded as one of his most iconic works, It’s Only a Game continues to influence the fashion and performance art worlds.

The collection has been featured in notable exhibitions, including Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2011) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (2015). Supporting materials, such as sketches, fabric swatches, and audiovisual documentation, remain preserved in excellent condition.

***
ATT: Any re-edit, reproduction, re-upload, re-broadcast, remixing, and distribution of our copyrighted videos are prohibited.
Want to use our footage for your projects? Please contact us for LICENSING.
***

🎥 Launched in 1996, FashionStock is a rich visual archive, capturing over 900 hours of fashion history on original MiniDV tapes - the first digital SD video format.

🔥 Full LIST of Milan-Paris shows we shoot on MiniDV tapes you can check at this list:
http://FashionStock.com/Docs/FashionS...

Whether you're tracing the evolution of trends or searching for rare footage, FashionStock offers "Archive On Demand" access to exclusive content from the golden era of fashion.