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 S/S 2005 Beige Gold Coin Embroidered Collared Button Up Jacket
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2005 Beige Pink Gold Coin Embroidered Collared Button Up Jacket Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring / Summer 2005 Designer: Alexander Mc...
Jean Paul Gaultier Cream Silk-Linen Military-Style Jacket
By Jean Paul Gaultier
Located in New York, NY
Jean Paul Gaultier detailed cream silk-linen military-style jacket has etched brass buttons with Gaultier's signature name logo. there are 2 set-in pockets with flap detailing. S...
Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2007 'Sarabande' Cream Ruffled Silk Moire Jacket
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Manchester, GB
Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2007 ‘Sarabande’ cream silk moire cropped jacket with ruffled collar and cuffs, fastened with hook and eye closures at the front. In very good condit...
Gucci by Tom Ford Vintage S/S 2003 Beige Leather Ruched Jacket XS
By Tom Ford for Gucci
Located in Berlin, DE
From Gucci’s Spring/Summer 2003 collection, designed by Tom Ford, this rare jacket encapsulates the sleek sensuality and precision tailoring that defined his transformative era at th...
Alexander McQueen F/W 2004 Beige Open-Front Stand-Collar Midi Coat
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Paris, FR
From the F/W 2004 collection of Alexander McQueen, this midi coat is cut in a fine, densely woven fabric of pale ecru-beige that has the soft, even surface associated with high-grade...
$832Sale Price|20% Off
Size: 42
Jean Paul Gaultier F/W 1997 Cream linen double breasted blazer two pieces jacket
By Jean Paul Gaultier
Located in Milano, IT
- Archival Jean Paul Gaultier cream double breasted blazer jacket with bolero sleeve-jacket attached with a button on the back - Sold by Skof.Archive - Fall-Winter 1997/98 - Two pie...
A vintage 1990s Yves Saint Laurent Cream Jacket
By Yves Saint Laurent
Located in London, GB
A chic cream jacket by Yves Saint Laurent , Encore line. This jacket is made of a clotted cream colour fabric with a fine rib detail. It is collarless, with 4 pockets on the front. I...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1998 Ivory Button Front Notch Collar Slanted Pocket Blazer
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1998 Ivory Button Front Notch Collar Slanted Pocket Blazer Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 1998 Style: Blazer Color(s): Shades of ivory Lined: Yes Marked Fabric Content: 100% wool Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen ivory blazer...
DONNA KARAN Size 8 Beige Cotton Blend Mock Collar Jacket
By Donna Karan
Located in San Francisco, CA
Donna Karan jacket offers a sophisticated blend of utility and Italian craftsmanship. Featuring a sleek full-zip front, it is elevated by distinctive zipper details on the sleeves an...
RALPH LAUREN Size 6 Beige Acetate Silk Notch Lapel Jacket Blazer
By Ralph Lauren
Located in San Francisco, CA
RALPH LAUREN BLACK LABEL blazer in a beige acetate silk blend fabric featuring a notch lapel, long sleeves, and double hook & eye closure. Made in USA.Good Pre-Owned Condition. Multi...
1990S YVES SAINT LAURENT Brown Haute Couture Linen 3/4 Length Jacket With Wood
Located in New York, NY
1990S YVES SAINT LAURENT Brown Haute Couture Linen 3/4 Length Jacket With Wood Buttons
2000S ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Silk Brocade Frock Coat Jacket From The Shipwreck Colle
By Alexander McQueen
Located in New York, NY
2000S ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Silk Brocade Frock Coat Jacket From The Shipwreck Collection Irere
1930S Cream Wool Men's Hollywood Costume Military Jacket With Gold Buttons & An
Located in New York, NY
Few slight stains, center front buttons are reproductions from the Napoleonic military. 1930S Cream Wool Men's Hollywood Costume Military Jacket Wit...
1980S THIERRY MUGLER Cream Wool Blend Jersey Sleeved Dress With Pockets
By Thierry Mugler
Located in New York, NY
1980S THIERRY MUGLER Cream Wool Blend Jersey Sleeved Dress With Pockets
Edwardian Champagne Silk & Cotton Velvet And Handmade Lace Bodice Top
Located in New York, NY
Edwardian Champagne Silk & Cotton Velvet And Handmade Lace Bodice Top
1920S Cream Silk Needle Lace Short Jacket With Long Sleeve
Located in New York, NY
1920S Cream Silk Needle Lace Short Jacket With Long Sleeve
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.
