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 Runway Piece, Fall/Winter 2003
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Alexander McQueen — Runway Piece, Fall/Winter 2003 Asymmetrical Cashmere and Leather Coat This extraordinary coat is a faithful representation of the asymmetrical silhouette shown o...
$2,706
Alexander McQueen set
By Alexander McQueen
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN - (Made in Italy) Blended wool set composed of a skirt and a jacket, in dark-burgundy-red and black tones. Size 44IT indicated, it fits a 40FR. Condition: Very goo...
SS 2008 Alexander McQueen SS 2008 shirt
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Alexander McQueen SS 2008 shirt size ~S-M Shoulders: 47 cm / 18.50 in Sleeve Length: 67 cm / 26.38 in Underarm Width: 56 cm / 22.05 in Length: 78 cm / 30.71 in good condition, inside...
Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton Spring 2010 Dress
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for 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 ...
Alexander Mcqueen 2008 Beautiful Silk Blouse Top
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Berlin, BE
Rare Alexander McQueen 2008 Collection piece called "Mushrom Shirt". Beautiful romantic blouse, crafted in a semi sheer, vibrant oran...
Alexander McQueenMcQueen Corseted Silk Jacket & Pants Ensemble, 2000s
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Designed during Lee Alexander McQueen’s creative tenure, this exceptional 2004 two-piece ensemble showcases the designer’s mastery of sculptural tailoring and romantic construction. ...
2002 Alexander McQueen Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious Set Britney Spears
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Alexander McQueen - Ready-to-Wear Fall / Winter 2002 Alexander McQueen «Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious» Runway dress and jacket *Britney Spears photoshoot by Les Guzman, 2002 'I wanted it to be romantic, beautiful,' McQueen said of this collection and the pieces, the dresses especially, were just that. Vogue praised the intricate and meticulous details put into the pieces of this collection. The collection was inspired by a mix of Marie Antoinette, Tim Burton films, Sleepy Hollow in particular, and he even had Burton design the lighting for the show. There was a bit of schoolgirl fetish in the mix and the Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious title of the show was of course taken from Mary Poppins. Alexander McQueen's Fall/Winter 2002 collection focused on elegance and sophisticated tailoring, creating silhouettes with tiny waists and gorgeous detailing Reference: Adriana Lima walks the runway during the Alexander McQueen Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2002-2003...
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 New Coat AW 1999
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Water Mill, NY
A fabulous red wool coat by Alexander McQueen. It has a stand up mandarin collar, a button front with matching buttons hidden in a placket and shoulder pads. The front bodice has a ...
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...
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.
