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 A/W 2007 Black Sheer Long Sleeve Sweet Heart Dress Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 2007 Black Sheer Long Sleeve Sweet Heart Gown Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: A/W 2007 Style: Evening gown Colo...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2003 “Irere” Black Gathered Layer Tulle Mesh V Neck Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2003 “Irere” Black Gathered Layer Tulle Mesh V Neck Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2003 “Irere” Designer: Alexander McQueen Style: Spaghetti strap gathered tulle mesh dress Color(s): Shades of black and nude Lined: Yes- bust and skirt Unmarked Fabric Content (feel of): Nylon (mesh shell); spandex (mesh shell); silk crepe (lining); metal (closures) Additional Details / Inclusions: Black semi-sheer layered mesh dress with thin straps. Fitted black gathered tulle mesh dress with aesthetic topstitch detailing for a fitted look. Unlined black mesh panels with stylistic criss-cross mesh rows under bustline; unlined top back panel. “V” neckline with gathered mesh ruffle trim at edges. Stylistic topstitching at waistline with asymmetric gathered mesh ruffle trim in “V” shape. Curved topstitching at hips creating slightly flared hem at skirt. Raw edges of mesh at hem. Nude crepe lining at skirt and bust. Hidden lapped ¾ length zipper closure at left side seam, interior hook closure at top. Interior hanging loops. No tags on interior. Made In: Italy Additional Packaging: No MEASUREMENTS & SIZING: Unmarked Size: Small/Medium (recommended / not a guarantee of fit) Bust: 30" Waist: 28" Hip: 34" Length: 29" CONDITION: BC (see guide). Four very faint pinprick size spots at interior skirt lining (not visible when worn, not noticeable except upon close inspection). Three pinhead size holes in top layer of gathered mesh skirt exterior near hem (not noticeable except upon very close inspection). One pencil-top size hole in skirt mesh at right front near topstitching (not noticeable except upon inspection). A few very minor scattered runs in top mesh layer consistent with light wear and shelf handling...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2003 Black Ivory Contrast Stitch Kick Flare Cocktail Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2003 Black Ivory Contrast Stitch Kick Flare Cocktail Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2003 S...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2006 "Neptune" Black Sleeveless Cut Work Cocktail Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
Alexander McQueen S/S 2006 black sleeveless cut work cocktail dress. From Alexander McQueen's "Neptune" collection. Tie straps. Low scoop nec...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1997 “La Poupée” Black Wool Illusion Cutout Cocktail Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1997 “La Poupée” Black Wool Illusion Cutout Cocktail Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 1997 “La Poup...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1997 "La Poupee" Plunging V Neck Bias Cut Cocktail Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
DESCRIPTION: ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 1997 "La Poupee" Plunging V Neck Bias Cut Cocktail Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Spring / Summer 1997 “La Poupee”; Runway look #40 Designer: Alexander McQueen Style: Plunging v neck dress...
Alexander McQueen Autumn-Winter 2001 black silk and lace evening dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen Autumn-Winter 2001 black silk and lace evening dress - drop waist - low back - black lace skirt, yoke and collar
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Vintage 2003 Black Silk Jersey Dress with Leather Bra
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Woodland Hills, CA
From the archives of Alexander McQueen, this rare 2003 runway-era dress is a masterclass in contrast—fusing sleek leather detailing with fluid jersey draping for a silhouette that’s ...
Alexander McQueen Black Tuxedo Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Resurrection Vintage is excited to offer an Alexander McQueen black tuxedo dress featuring a cold shoulder exposed neckline with straps, a double-breasted bodice with classic satin t...
NWT F/W 2005 Alexander McQueen Corseted Black Satin Halter Tie Runway Gown 42IT
By Alexander McQueen
Located in West Hollywood, CA
From the Alexander McQueen Fall/Winter 2005 collection, a version of this black silk satin gown debuted on the season's runway as look 38, modeled by Mariacarla Boscono. This sleek ...
Spectacular Alexander McQueen Runway Gown Black Silk Lace Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Berlin, BE
As if conjured from midnight sea-spray, this Spring/Summer 2012 Alexander McQueen gown unfurls like a dark bloom caught in motion. The bodice - sculpted close to the torso -disappear...
2004 ALEXANDER MCQUEEN black wool dress with white hand-stitching
By Alexander McQueen
Located in San Fransisco, CA
Alexander McQueen, Spring/Summer 2004 A striking black sleeveless dress from Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2004 collection. Cut in a body-skimming silhouette, the design feature...
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.
