British fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen, the original creative engine behind the Alexander McQueen label, was beloved for his expert tailoring and theatrical runway shows. After his suicide in 2010, fans left tributes to the man and his talents outside Alexander McQueen boutiques worldwide. Record-breaking crowds visited the posthumous retrospective of the designer’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Victoria and Albert in London.
The inspirations for vintage Alexander McQueen bags, dresses, jackets and other items came from many quarters — film, music, current events, history, his heritage and fashions of the past. The designer's runway presentations were not just displays of clothing but were personal expressions of the zeitgeist, often touching on our cultural anxieties and concerns. McQueen’s own thoughts and feelings about love, death, gender, genocide, colonialism, global warming and the extinction of species all appear in his pieces.
McQueen certainly shook up fashion; he was a born Rottweiler. His upbringing on a council estate in north London played a part, but his family was close and supportive, not dysfunctional. He was proud of his Scottish heritage: He was a defiant fashion warrior. His historical themes and shows — such as “Highland Rape,” 2002, which was inspired by England’s “rape of Scotland,” as McQueen called it — always invoked powerful reactions from his audience of fashion pros.
“What you see in the work is the person himself. And my heart is in my work,” McQueen told Harper’s Bazaar in 2007.
It is perhaps this heart, and the heart’s exposure, that drew the crowds and made McQueen's creations both popular and emotionally resonant. Because the work was personal and thus layered with feeling, the motifs — decorative embellishments and fabric choices — have meaning. In other words, in McQueen’s oeuvre, plaid is more than simply a pattern.
Find vintage Alexander McQueen fashion and accessories — including the designer's coveted bags and comfortable, stretchy jersey knit dresses and gowns — on 1stDibs.
Alexander McQueen Cocktail Dress Poppy Flower Summer Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Berlin, BE
There is something almost cinematic about this Spring 2019 Alexander McQueen dress, as though it belongs to the heroine of a forgotten romance, wandering through a windswept field at...
2011 Alexander McQueen Red Abstract Rose Print Chiffon Corset Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
This stunning gown is from Sarah Burton’s Resort 2011 collection for Alexander McQueen. One of the designer’s first collections for McQueen after the eponymous founder’s passing, Vog...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Cold-Shoulder Floral Print Silk-Chiffon Maxi Dress Gown 44 - 8
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Montgomery, TX
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Cold-Shoulder Floral Print Silk-Chiffon Maxi Dress It Size 44 - US 8 New, with tags.
Alexander McQueen Long Flounced Pink Silk Crepe Dress, circa 2016
By Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
Alexander McQueen - (Made in Italy) Long flounced pink silk crepe dress. 40IT size indicated, it fits a 36FR. 2016 circa Collection under the direction of Sarah Burton. Additional i...
Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Spring 2010 Dress
By Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen
Located in Norwich, GB
Alexander McQueen silk strapless dress, from the Spring/Summer 2010 collection. As seen on Eva Green at the Mariinsky Ball of Montblanc White Nights Festival. Marked Size IT 42 ...
NEW Alexander McQueen 2008 Exotic Pink Evening Dress Tribute to Isabella Blow 42
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Switzerland, CH
EXTREMELY RARE PIECE UNIQUE COLLECTOR'S ITEM BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN FOR HIS SPRING SUMMER 2008 RUNWAY COLLECTION TRIBUTE TO ISABELLA BLOW 2DIE4 PYTHON ...
Pink sleeveless cocktail dress with burgundy satin ruffle ALEXANDER McQUEEN
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Pink sleeveless cocktail dress with burgundy satin ruffle . Main fabric composition: 63% wool, 25% silk, 12% nylon. Satin composition: 60% cotton, 40% silk. Zip and hook&eye closure ...
Alexander McQueen dress by Sarah Burton Pre-Fall 2022
By Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN - 2022 Pre-Fall ready-to-wear Collection under the artistic direction of Sarah Burton. Mid-length sky-blue dress with a bardot collar and a pleated skirt. Size 40...
Alexander Mcqueen fushia silk chiffon dress circa 2008
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Eivissa, ES
This stunning Alexander McQueen fuchsia silk dress is a true statement piece from the early 2000s, embodying the brand’s signature avant-garde elegance. Designed to create a striking silhouette, this strapless dress features soft pleats and a dramatic flowing train, perfect for high-profile events or special occasions. The rich fuchsia color adds an element of boldness and femininity, while the luxurious silk fabric ensures a fluid, graceful look. This Alexander McQueen silk dress...
Christian LaCroix SS 2006 Haute Couture (Look 21) Pink & Black Floral Robe
By Christian Lacroix
Located in London, GB
Christian LaCroix SS 2006 Haute Couture (Look 21) Pink and Black Floral Robe Lightweight Flowy robe with tie fastening. Excellent condition / unworn
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2021 Runway light pink anemone faille off shoulder dress IT38
By Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2021 Runway light pink anemone faille off shoulder dress IT38 XS Reference: AAWC/A01737 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Collection: FW 2021 "Anemon...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN faille light pink ballon sleeve technical dress IT38 XS
By Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN faille light pink ballon sleeve technical dress IT38 XS Reference: AAWC/A00174 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Collection: 2021 Material: Polyester ...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2023 Solarised Orchid floral slash shoulder dress IT38 XS
By Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2023 Solarised Orchid floral slash shoulder dress IT38 XS Reference: AAWC/A00686 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burt...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2021 pink taffeta zip front fit flared dress IT38 S
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2021 pink taffeta zip front fit flared dress IT38 S Reference: AAWC/A00064 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Collection: 2021 Material: Polyester Colo...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2019 pink silk puff sleeves pussy bow draped skirt dress IT42
By Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2019 pink silk puff sleeves pussy bow draped skirt dress IT42 Reference: KEDG/A00068 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Collection: 2019 Material: Silk...
OSCAR DE LA RENTA 2016 pink red degrade carnation rose embroidered dress US4 S
By Oscar De La Renta
Located in Hong Kong, NT
OSCAR DE LA RENTA 2016 pink red degrade carnation rose embroidered dress US4 S Reference: LACG/A00456 Brand: Oscar de la Renta Designer: Oscar De La Renta Collection: SS 2016 Materia...
The designer combined his Savile Row training with his fascination with Victorian jewelry to create a most alluring piece.
A striking tartan ensemble from the late designer’s celebrated (and controversial) Fall/Winter 2006 collection is equal parts tailored and punk.
