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.
NWT 2010 ALEXANDER MCQUEEN black leather seamed 'PLATO'S ATLANTIS' runway jacket
By Alexander McQueen
Located in San Fransisco, CA
Alexander McQueen Spring 2010 leather jacket in jet black. Made from incredibly soft leather with a beautiful smooth finish that catches the light. The construction is exceptional, w...
Maison Martin Margiela AW 2008 Black Leather Jacket
By Maison Martin Margiela
Located in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZH
This Maison Martin Margiela Autumn Winter 2008 black leather jacket is a striking exploration of silhouette and construction, instantly recognisable as one of the house’s most memora...
$6,002
Size: Recommended Size; UK 4 - 6 / XS
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN A/W 2009 Black Leather Biker Jacket with Mongolian Lamb Collar
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Sheffield, GB
An extraordinary Alexander McQueen Autumn / Winter 2009 Runway sample ! This Black Leather Biker Jacket features an incredibly plush Mongolian Lamb Collar that runs all the way arou...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2010 black leather belted peplum biker jacket IT38 XS
By Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2010 black leather belted peplum biker jacket IT38 XS Reference: TGAS/C01679 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Material: Leather Color: Black Pattern:...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 2002 "Supercalifragilistic" Leather Harness Skirt Suit Set
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
DESCRIPTION: ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 2002 "Supercalifragilistic" 2 Piece Black Skirt Suit Set - Look #15 Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Autumn/Winter 2002 Design...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN black leather 2023 PEPLUM BIKER Jacket 40 S
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Alexander McQueen peplum biker jacket in black leather (100%). Features with zippers at the cuffs, three zip pockets at the front and loop belts. Opens with a silver m...
Dolce & Gabbana black leather bondage jacket Spring / Summer 2003
By Dolce & Gabbana
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
DOLCE & GABBANA Bondage 2003 leather jacket Description: Dolce & Gabbana black leather bondage jacket Spring / Summer 2003 100% Lambskin Leather Variation on catwalk N°29 length 61 ...
Alexander McQueen 2000s Black Suede Eyelet-Embellished Jacket
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Paris, FR
From the 2000s archive of Alexander McQueen, this jacket is executed in black suede and embellished throughout with densely set silver-tone metal eyelets of varying diameters. The ey...
Black single breasted jacket with cut-work ALEXANDER McQUEEN
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Black single breasted jacket with cut-work. No fabric composition tag but probably wool and rayon lining. Button and buttonhole closure on the middle front. Shoulder pad. Pocket on b...
Stunning Gianfranco Ferre Black Motorcycle Leather Jacket With Fur Trim
By Gianfranco Ferré
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is excited to offer a vintage Gianfranco Ferre black leather motorcycle jacket featuring a high collar, pony hair insets, whipstitching, decorative black leather...
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.
