The current moment in fashion is defined by a strange, beautiful tension a tug-of-war between the persona we perform for the world and the intimate, often “shredded” reality of who we are behind closed doors.
Nowhere was this more evident than in the two most talked-about dresses of the week: Kylie Jenner and Zendaya, both draped in Alexander McQueen Autumn/Winter 2026. As Creative Director Seán McGirr steers the house through a massive transition—rumored to include a significant operational shift as the brand officially winds down its long-standing Paris presence to refocus on a new, “unfiltered” American chapter—the clothes themselves are reflecting this sense of “unravelling.”
The Kylie Jenner Effect: The Power of the Predator
For the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Kylie Jenner chose a custom McQueen look that perfectly mirrors her public-facing personality: controlled, impenetrable, and fiercely structured.
The gown features a pintucked silver-satin-turned-black-beaded bodice, so rigid it looks like a second skin of armor. But it’s the transition that tells the story. At the hip, the fabric “slashes” open, giving way to a voluminous, shredded black silk chiffon skirt that trails behind her like the wings of a Harpy.
In terms of personality, this is Kylie as the Protector. She is a woman who has spent over a decade under the world’s microscope, and her clothing reflects that. She wears the structure to stay safe, but the “shredded” details suggest a woman who is comfortable with the chaos that comes with being a global icon. It’s a “found-material” aesthetic that says: I have taken the pieces of my life and woven them into something legendary.
The Zendaya Effect: The Vulnerability of the Fae
Contrast this with Zendaya, who wore a sheer, floral-jacquard gown from the same AW26 collection for her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. If Kylie’s look was about the predator, Zendaya’s is about the Poet.
Her dress uses the “wallpaper florals” McGirr designed to evoke “domestic paranoia”—the idea of home being both a sanctuary and a cage. Zendaya’s personality has always been one of fluid grace; she is an actress who “becomes” her roles, and this dress, with its sheer georgette and exposed corset cups, feels like a literal unmasking.
She isn’t wearing armor; she is wearing an atmosphere. The light filters through the sheer fabric, reflecting her “glow-up” era—a personality that is currently focused on light, growth, and the optimistic freedom of a garden.
The Paris Exit: A Break for the Soul
Perhaps the most symbolic part of this McQueen moment is the narrative surrounding the brand itself. As these dresses dominate the US red carpets, the industry is buzzing with the news that McQueen is taking a break from its traditional Paris headquarters.
After years of performing on the rigid, high-pressure stages of Paris Fashion Week, the house is reportedly shifting its gaze toward the US. This “break” mirrors the collection’s themes of unravelling and finding oneself outside of the “performance.”
Just as the AW26 collection uses “what is found” broken porcelain, smashed flowers trapped in ice, and shredded cloth—the brand is essentially “breaking” its old mold to see what new life can grow in the American landscape.
