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 New Silk Dress with Ruffle Hem 'NO. 13' S/S 1999
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Water Mill, NY
A fabulous black silk dress from an early collection of Alexander McQueen. It skims the body has a scoop neckline and 3 rows of ruffles beginning at knee level in the front and 8 sta...
S/S2005 Alexander McQueen runway strapless draped chiffon mini dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Milano, Lombardia
S/S 2005 Alexander McQueen runway strapless draped chiffon mini dress This Alexander McQueen mini dress from the Spring/Summer 2005 runway epitomizes the designer's ability to merge...
Alexander McQueen 2004 runway gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZH
Look 50 of the Alexander Mcqueen 2004FW runway show. A short version of this design was seen during the 2004SS “Deliverance” collection. It’s inspired by the 1970s film “They Shoot...
Alexander McQueen S/S 2005 Unworn Semi-Sheer Lace Ruffled Slip Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Englishtown, NJ
Alexander McQueen S/S 2005 "It's Only A Game" Unworn Semi-Sheer Lace Ruffled Slip Dress IT 44
Alexander Mc queens Vintage S/S RTW 2003 Harness Silk Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen Spring Summer RTW 2003 ‘Harness’ ruched silk dress. Features a square neckline, spaghetti straps and asymmetric midi length. In excellent vintage condition. Brand: ...
2008 Alexander McQueen double layer dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Milano, Lombardia
2008 Alexander McQueen double layer dress This 2008 Alexander McQueen dress features a refined double-layer construction, blending sheer mesh with a solid inner lining for a strikin...
Alexander McQueen "What a Merry Go Round" Spiral Zipper Evening Dress NEW
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pre-death Alexander McQueen rare A/W 2001 "What a Merry Go Round" Collection. Fashioned of black stretch satin with spiral zipper througout dress allowing to cleverly adjust and ...
Alexander McQueen FW 2004 Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
🔥 RARE FIND: Alexander McQueen FW 2004 Dress 🔥 Presenting a rare and exceptional piece from the Fall/Winter 2004 collection by the legendary designer Alexander McQueen—a true frag...
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...
2000s Roberto Cavalli silk ruffled high-low evening dress
By Roberto Cavalli
Located in Milano, Lombardia
2000s Roberto Cavalli silk ruffled high-low evening dress This 2000s Roberto Cavalli evening dress is crafted from luxurious black silk and features an elegant high-low silhouette w...
Alexander McQueen Resort 2011 Long Blue Strapless Dress
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Resort 2011 Long Blue Strapless Dress (Look 28) This resort collection is trip back to the past - McQueen reimagined through Burtons feminine eye, ...
Gianni Versace 1995 Silk Women's Evening Dress Look 54 Antique Vintage
By Atelier Versace, Gianni Versace
Located in London, GB
Versace by Gianni Versace Spring/Summer 1995 (Look 54) Dress material is in great condition with no wear and tear however the hardware shows obvious signs of age and missing logo em...
Donna Karan SS 2000 Black Mesh Strapless Dress
By Donna Karan
Located in London, GB
Donna Karan Spring/Summer 2000 Black Mesh Strapless Dress The dress is stretchy and therefore can fit various sizes. Good Condition - micro snags that are constant with the pieces ...
Christian Lacroix Vintage Fall 2008 One Shoulder Black Dress FR 38
By Christian Lacroix
Located in London, GB
Christian LaCroix Fall 2008 Short Black Dress One Shoulder, FR 38
Alexander McQueen SS 2004 Strapless Denim Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2004 Strapless Denim Dress
Alberta Ferretti FW 2006 Cream Wool Dress with Embellishments
By Alberta Ferretti
Located in London, GB
Alberta Ferretti FW 2006 Cream Wool Dress with Embellishments In certain lights the dress has a shimmer, slightly loose stitching at the straps otherwise the condition is great.
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.
