One of London Fashion Week’s most exciting events took place yesterday: Anna Wintour and Samantha Cameron hosted a preview of the upcoming Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty show.

The event was held at the Ritz, the site of the legendary designer’s first post-graduate show, and unveiled several photos from the exhibition catalogue.

Also in attendance were Stella McCartney, Sarah Burton, Salma Hayek-Pinault, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s top directors.

The show will features pieces from all of McQueen’s collections, from Nihilism in 1994 to the posthumous Angels & Demons collection in 2010, and the opening Met Ball gala will be held on the second of May, two days before the show opens.

A fascinating detail about the photos in the exhibition catalogue: they were taken on live models, and then digitally altered to look like conventional mannequins! This amazing attention to detail hews to McQueen’s own ethos and really brings the clothes to life.

We’re thrilled for the opportunity to see the impeccably constructed garments without the admittedly beautiful distraction of McQueen’s runway showmanship.

Photos – Sølve Sundsbø/Metropolitan Museum of Art, all rights reserved