In the absence of an haute couture line, Alexander McQueen’s ready-to-wear makes a convincing stand-in, a plausible proxy. There’s really no other way to explain the elevated craftsmanship of Sarah Burton’s collections of late. Spring 2015 was no exception.

Essentially she extrapolated ideas from an assortment of antique kimonos she acquired on trips to Japan. Mindful of being overly literal, she interpreted some elements for a contemporary palate while discarding others altogether — obi belts, for example — all in a limited palette of black, white, red, and pink. she connected the results with house codes by way of amazon-like strappy bodices and lace-up sandals.

Meanwhile, deep-V, wide-sleeve silk dresses were printed with flowers and, perhaps, a stylized scene from a Japanese screen. But it was the Incredible leather and snake coats so flawlessly pieced together from smaller skins that stole the show.