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.
2003 Alexander McQueen Silk Printed Strapless Draped Column Evening Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Studio City, CA
2003 Alexander McQueen creme with yellow "batik-like" printed silk strapless, draped column gown. Bustier at the interior. Size tag 44 and fabric tag say...
John Galliano 2008 Vintage Long Silk Dress, Flower Pattern, Size 42FR
By John Galliano
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
JOHN GALLIANO - (made in France) Long silk dress with a flower pattern. Size 42FR indicated. A Collection circa 2008. Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Chest: 45 cm - Wais...
Roberto Cavalli brocade printed silk evening dress with ruffled skirt, fw 2004
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in London, GB
▪ Roberto Cavalli evening slip dress ▪ Fall-Winter 2004 ▪ Constructed from silk ▪ Patchwork motif of leopard and brocade prints in shades of orange, purple, red, blue and gold ▪ Mi...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 "Sarabande" Iridescent Silk Pleated Mermaid Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
DESCRIPTION: ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 "Sarabande" Iridescent Silk Pleated Mermaid Dress Estimated Retail: $5,900 Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring / S...
Rainbow Alexander McQueen Spring 2008 La Dame Bleue Silk Butterfly Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in New York, NY
Rainbow silk butterfly wing pring plisse gown by Alexander McQueen. From the Spring 2008 La Dame Bleue Collection. Plunging neckline. Long sleeves. 40" bust, 27" waist, 64" length, 1...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2009 "Natural Dis-tinction" Kaleidoscope Crystal Dress 38
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2009 "Natural Dis-tinction" Kaleidoscope Crystal Dress 38 Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Designer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring-Summer 2009 "N...
John Galliano knit jersey maxi dress with patchwork motif, fw 2004
By John Galliano
Located in London, GB
▪ John Galliano knitted maxi dress ▪ Fall-Winter 2004 ▪Expertly crafted from knit cotton jersey, showcasing an allover woven patchwork print featuri...
$14,750
Size: No Label. Fits like US 4
Alexander Mcqueen La Dame Bleue Collection Rainbow Butterfly Gown 2008
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is thrilled to present an Alexander McQueen rainbow gown from the spring 2008 "La Dame Bleue" collection, which was a tribute to Isab...
Roberto Cavalli Silk Halter-Neck Evening Dress Gown With Train, S/S 2005/2004
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in North Wales, PA
Abundantia Curation newest addition: A breathtaking Roberto Cavalli evening gown from the Spring/Summer 2005 collection, showcasing the designer’s mastery of romantic glamour and sen...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 Ivory Silk Chiffon Full Length Ballgown Dress Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 Ivory Silk Chiffon Gathered Full Length Ballgown Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2007 Style: Ballgown Color(s): Shades of ivory Lined: Yes Unmarked Fabric Content: 100% Silk Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen S/S 2007 silk chiffon ball gown...
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.
