We asked our team to tell us about their favourite ever piece of design. It could be a logo, a building, an object (shoes, gadgets, product packaging). The only criteria was that they consider it a thing of beauty and have an emotional connection to it.

Alexander McQueen's Alien Shoe – Bethany Waters (Designer)

“They are futuristic. They tell a story; they’re kind of dark yet feminine … and they just look awesome!”

Why do you love it? What does it mean to you?

This shoe is from Alexander McQueen's 2010 Plato’s Atlantis catwalk collection, which was his final ever show. I've never been that into fashion, but his work always stood out to me and I am a huge fan of his conceptual designs and the stories behind his catwalk shows.

This particular show was inspired by the idea of a time when humanity returns to the oceans after the melting of the ice caps. The models throughout the show appeared half human and half bionic. This shoe also references H R Giger's work – whose architecture/sculpture design also follows a similar bio-mechanical theme.

What are your favourite aspects of it?

The shoe is feminine yet kind of gruesome (much like myself...) with the spinal structure wrapping around the foot, it is futuristic and was actually made from 3D printed resin. I like how the shoe started off in matte white at the beginning of the show and by the end they were shimmering blue, they look like some kind of underwater demon creature – I like it.

When you see the shoe, what memories does it bring back?

It reminds me of when I first discovered Alexander McQueen and also H R Giger back when I was in school, and I based most of my art projects on their work. Yes – a lot of my artwork was dark and creepy.

I think his work may have been the reason my collection of heels grew rapidly over the years too and I am now ashamed to admit I own a few pairs which I have never even worn but bought because I just liked the design (for example, I own a black pair of boots with spikes all over them – not practical at all and too high to even walk in – but I wanted them!).