Among the McQueen looks inspired by the eighteenth century is this black and red dress with long, draped box pleats at the front of the body, inspired by the back of a robe à la française. A reference to the stomacher, which typically accessorizes the center-front of period gowns, appears at the V-shaped back of the dress, completing the designer’s vision for backward construction. McQueen’s treatment of an eighteenth-century-style man’s coat echoes the embroidery found along the center-front opening, neckline, and pocket flaps but is constructed from glen-plaid wool suiting, rather than silk.