McQueen Spring 2025 Ad Campaign

Review of McQueen Spring 2025 Ad Campaign by Creative Director Seán McGirr with Photographer & Director Glen Luchford with Art Director Christopher Simmonds

In its boldest campaign yet, McQueen Spring Summer 2025 transforms folklore into a visceral fashion narrative, set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Llansteffan Castle in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Leading this evocative vision are key creatives: Creative Director Seán McGirr, whose Irish heritage and imaginative recollections infuse the concept with raw, strident self-expression; Photographer and Director Glen Luchford, whose lens captures the ephemeral magic of the liminal hours; Art Director Christopher Simmonds, whose meticulous aesthetic ties each frame together; and Stylist Sarah Richardson, whose curated selections bring an edgy sophistication to the collection.

Against the ancient stones and shifting light of the castle, a cast of characters navigates both its storied halls and the wild interplay of land and shore—bound together by an enigmatic, animating force. In this setting, the banshee emerges as the campaign’s central muse. Rooted in McQueen’s heritage and reinterpreted through McGirr’s personal mythology, the banshee is not merely a spectral figure but a symbol of liberating, self-affirmed expression. As McGirr reflects, “The banshee was a figure that was very present in my childhood imagination growing up in Ireland and she has recently taken on new meaning for me. She embodies a sense of strident self-expression that resonates now; something freeing that drives connection with others.”

The collection itself embodies this duality. Sharp, twisted tailoring is artfully layered with ethereal fabrics—cobweb lace, pleated chiffon, silk creponne, and shredded silk organza—each piece hand-finished with intricate detail. A sophisticated palette of ivory, silvered grey, and black is punctuated by unexpected bursts of yellow and orange, visually narrating the delicate balance of strength and fragility. Sculptural accessories and jewelry, inspired by the lore of the banshee, add the final note to this daring composition.

With this campaign, McQueen not only honors its storied past but also boldly redefines its future, merging myth and modernity into a compelling exploration of identity, heritage, and transformative power in fashion.