Alexander McQueen at Paris fashion week - in pictures

Seamlessly fusing the historical and contemporary with an undertone of the macabre, this was also reflected in the venue choice - an old Parisian abattoir decorated with floor-to-ceiling chandeliers. It's not very often that you have a fashion moment that causes you to take a deep intake of breath, but Sarah Burton's latest haute couture-worthy collection for Alexander McQueen had us hyperventilating Photograph: Helen Seamons

Dresses were feather-light bundles of tulle, while tissue-thin lace lay like a second skin on the heads and faces of the models Photograph: Helen Seamons

Mille-feuille chiffon layers and strings of pearls clung to the body in one creation Photograph: Jo Jones

With McQueen, there is always the perfect balance of beauty and drama Photograph: Jo Jones

The entire audience watched, spellbound Photograph: Helen Seamons

The collection evolved from skirt-suit peplum silhouettes into jaw-dropping gowns Photograph: Jo Jones

A series of metallic dresses made up the finale. Backstage, we got a close up view of this intricate, silver-feathered beauty Photograph: Helen Seamons

The all important running order. The show could be disastrous without this crucial reference Photograph: Jo Jones

The dresses are so intricate it takes two dressers to fasten the tiny buttons Photograph: Jo Jones

This tulle dress in coral reminds us of candy floss Photograph: Jo Jones

It took an army of dressers, with nimble fingers, to get the models in and out of clothes Photograph: Helen Seamons

Notes for the dressing team hung on each model's rail backstage Photograph: Helen Seamons

One of the many breathtakingly beautiful pieces Photograph: Helen Seamons

To achieve a streamlined look to the headpieces, the models' hair was plaited into a tight coil Photograph: Helen Seamons

It wouldn't be a McQueen collection without killer heels Photograph: Helen Seamons

A model carefully removes her lace stocking mask Photograph: Helen Seamons

We were struck by the delicate detail on all the masks Photograph: Helen Seamons

Backstage, this looked beautifully sinister Photograph: Jo Jones

Burton's hands-on approach and quiet nature seemed to have rubbed off on the models, who carefully handled the delicate creations Photograph: Jo Jones

The calm after the storm. Designer Sarah Burton takes a quiet moment after receiving well-deserved praise and a barrage of questions from the world's press Photograph: Jo Jones