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...
$6,027
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 Runway black leather zip asymmetric hem biker jacket IT38 XS
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Runway black leather zip asymmetric hem biker jacket IT38 XS Reference: KEDG/A00339 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Material: Leather Color: Black, ...
Alexander McQueen FW 2007 Black Leather Corset Puffer Jacket Sz. 40
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Krakow, PL
Alexander McQueen Leather Puffer Jacket Black leather puffer jacket featuring a dramatic fur-trimmed hood, fitted corset-style quilted waist, zip fastening, side pockets, and ribbed ...
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...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2010 black leather belted peplum biker jacket IT38 XS
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton
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:...
Yohji Yamamoto Black Leather Gloves With Long Knit Sleeves
By Yohji Yamamoto
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is excited to present vintage Yohji Yamamoto black leather gloves with long knit sleeves, featuring a cable knit pattern at the sleeves, leather detailing at the...
Margiela artisanal black leather glove top, ss 2001
By Maison Martin Margiela
Located in London, GB
Martin Margiela, iconic artisanal glove top made from an assortment of vintage leather gloves. Halter neck, open back with snap button closures....
Thierry Mugler x H&M Black Leather Cropped Jacket with Scarf - 2023
By Thierry Mugler
Located in London, GB
Thierry Mugler x H&M Black Leather Cropped Jacket with Scarf, 2023 This Thierry Mugler x H&M black leather cropped jacket with built-in scarf (2023) is a rare and collectible piece from the global capsule collection designed under Casey Cadwallader. Referencing Mugler’s legendary 1990s leather tailoring, this collaboration jacket reinterprets archival Mugler silhouettes in soft chrome-free leather, balancing sculptural form with modern wearability. Featuring a built-in wide scarf, hourglass waist shaping, logo-engraved buttons, and a diagonal front zipper with concealed snap, the jacket embodies Mugler’s iconic power-dressing aesthetic. Fully lined in cupro, this piece captures the spirit of archival Mugler tailoring in a limited-edition designer collaboration. DETAILS Designer: Thierry Mugler x H&M (Casey Cadwallader for Mugler) Collection Reference: Mugler H&M Capsule Collection, Spring 2023 Material: Shell: 100% Chrome-free Leather; Lining: 100% Cupro Colour: Black Silhouette: Cropped jacket with built-in scarf; sculptural hourglass waist Marked Size: EU Small / US Small Condition: Unworn condition - press sample MEASUREMENTS (LAID FLAT & closed and at rest unless otherwise noted) Bust(across underarm to underarm): 44 cm / 17.3 in ( to fit bust 88cm /34.6 inc) Shoulder to Hem: 47 cm / 18.5 in (at front - shortest measurement) 57 cm / 22.4 in (at back - longest measurement) Waist (across): 38 cm / 14.9 in (to fit waist 76cm / 29.9 in) Sleeve length: 60 cm / 23.6 in Width of attached leather scarf: 32 cm /. 12.5 in Length of attached leather scarf: 130 cm / 51.1 in PROVENANCE & STYLE NOTES This jacket recalls archival Thierry Mugler leather...
GUCCI Tom Ford Vintage black lambskin leather ruched shoulders jacket IT40 S
By Tom Ford, Gucci
Located in Hong Kong, NT
GUCCI Tom Ford Vintage black lambskin leather ruched shoulders minimal jacket IT40 S Reference: TGAS/G00159 Brand: Gucci Designer: Tom Ford Model: Circa Late 1990s / Early 2000s Read...
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.
