McQueen: Beneath the Surface

McQueen unveils Beneath the Surface at Fotografiska Shanghai, an exhibition that traces the origins and emotional undercurrents behind the house’s singular aesthetic. The space explores the tension between interiority and exteriority, and the beauty and volatility of nature, through the Autumn Winter 2026 collection and the Manta bag.

Inside the exhibition, the Manta appears in multiple iterations, its sculptural folds echoing the architecture of aquatic life. The forms sit alongside the season’s collision of raw realism and curated self‑presentation, a dialogue that has long defined McQueen’s visual language.

The opening marked Seán McGirr’s first visit to Shanghai as Creative Director. The afterparty extended the house’s Reverb series, bringing together its local community with a live performance by Mo La Guai Le featuring Amber Kuo. Actors Zhou Yutong, Xiang Hanzhi and Qu Chuxiao were among the guests, underscoring the cultural energy surrounding the house’s arrival in the city.

McQueen: Beneath the Surface ran from 18 to 20 April at Fotografiska Shanghai, offering an intimate look at the house’s evolving codes and the creative tensions that continue to shape its identity.