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 2009 Skeleton Kaleidoscope Print Oversized Clutch Bag
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN SS 2009 Iconic Crystal Skeleton Kaleidoscope Print Oversized Clutch Bag Brand/Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring Summer 2009 "Natural Dis-tinction,...
$1,332Sale Price|35% Off
New Alexander McQueen Resort 2020 Satin Clutch Bag $2050 With Tags
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Located in Conroe, TX
Brand New With Tags Alexander McQueen Embroidered Satin De Manta Clutch Bag $2050 Resort 2020 Alexander McQueen's Iconic De Manta Clutch Stunning in Black Satin and Pink Embroidery ...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2008 Black Leather Paisley Embossed Large Clutch Purse Bag
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN c.2008 Black Patent Leather Paisley Print Flat Large Clutch Purse Bag Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Circa: 2008 Style: ...
Alexander McQueen De Manta Leather Clutch Bag
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen De Manta Leather Clutch Bag Olive green, leather bag designed in a signature curved, angular shape - directly inspired by the wings of a manta ray. Featuring gold...
Alexander McQueen De Manta Clutch
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Express yourself in style with the Alexander McQueen De Manta Clutch. This playful pink and red leopard printed satin clutch is perfect for ...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 2009 Black Crinkled Patent Leather Large Trash Bag Clutch
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 2009 Black Crinkled Patent Leather Large Trash Bag Clutch RARE Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Circa: F/W 2009 Designer: Alexander McQueen Style: Oversized Clutch Bag Color(s): Exterior: Black. Interior: Red Lined: Yes Unmarked Fabric Content (feel of): Leather (exterior); Twill fabric (interior); Metal (hardware) Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen F/W 2009 "The Horn of Plenty" runway collection. Black crinkled patent leather material; designed to mimic the look and feel of a trash bag. Oversized leather clutch...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2012 Black Leather Spine Bones Embossed Oversized Clutch Bag
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2012 Black Leather Spine Bones Embossed Oversized Clutch Bag Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Circa: 2012 Designer: Sarah Burton Style: Oversized Clutch Bag Color(s): Black; Shades of Gold (hardware) Lined: Yes Unmarked Fabric Content (feel of): Leather (exterior); Twill fabric (interior); Metal (hardware) Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen circa 2012 Black leather skeletal embossed oversized leather clutch...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2008 "Flapper Novak" Black Leather Large Clutch Purse Bag
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2008 "Flapper Novak" Black Leather Large Clutch Purse Bag Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Circa: 2008 "Flapper Novak" D...
Alexander McQueen Embellished Skull Clutch
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Montgomery, TX
Alexander McQueen Embellished Skull Clutch – Gilded Glamour with Gothic Edge A dazzling fusion of artistry and attitude, this Alexander McQueen clutch is a show-stopping statement p...
Giuseppe Zanotti, black and white clutch
By Giuseppe Zanotti
Located in AMSTERDAM, NL
Giuseppe Zanotti, black and white clutch with silver hardware.
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.
