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The Widows of Culloden is the twenty-eighth collection of the British designer Alexander McQueen, made for the Autumn/Winter 2006 season of his eponymous fashion house. Widows was inspired by his Scottish ancestry and is regarded as one of his most autobiographical collections. It is named for the widows of the Battle of Culloden (1746) and makes extensive use of elements taken from Highland dress, including the McQueen family tartan (pictured) and traditional gamekeeper's tweeds. The collection's runway show was staged on 3 March 2006 during Paris Fashion Week, and marked a return to theatricality for McQueen. Widows was presented on a square stage with a glass pyramid at its centre. Fifty-one ensembles were presented across roughly three phases, ending with a Pepper's ghost illusion of the English model Kate Moss projected within the glass pyramid. Critical response was positive, especially towards McQueen's tailoring and the collection's balance of artistry and commercial practicality. (Full article...)