McQueen revisits Platos’ Atlantis with the Manta bag campaign
Seán McGirr reimagines the iconic bag with an underwater tribute to one of the brand’s defining shows
As creative director of McQueen, Seán McGirr has repositioned the house for a new generation. Rebellious without sacrificing the brand’s signature theatricality, the Irish designer has captivated a younger audience with his collections. Think East London party girls unafraid to style Victorian vintage with moto boots.
Still, this forward momentum doesn’t come at the expense of the past. In his latest campaign, dedicated to the Manta bag, McGirr draws inspiration from one of Lee Alexander McQueen’s most defining runway shows.
Many consider Plato’s Atlantis the designer’s magnum opus. Inspired by dystopian evolution, the collection imagined a future where humanity morphs into sea-dwelling beings. Scale-like textures, alien-esque heels, and prosthetics by renowned makeup artist Peter Philips brought the vision to life.
The show cemented its place in history as the first to be live-streamed, and introducing the world to Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ which debuted as part of the finale. The artist later wore key pieces from the collection in the track’s music video, including the now-iconic armadillo boots.
Revisiting Plato’s Atlantis, McGirr turns his focus to the Manta bag, originally introduced in that collection. Now reimagined, the design features an added shoulder strap while retaining its signature manta ray–inspired silhouette.
Shot by renowned fashion photographer Tim Walker, the campaign nods to McQueen’s original narrative of evolution, with imagery that places models underwater, clutching the sculptural bags.
Discover the Manta bag at alexandermcqueen.com.