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 2004 Black Multiway Bustier Midi Length Evening Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2004 Black Multiway Bustier Midi Length Evening Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2004 Style: Bustier ...
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 2000 "Eye" Red Black Silk Halter Strap Plunge Back Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2000 "Eye" Red Black Silk Halter Strap Plunge Back Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2000 "Eye" D...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” Red Black Chevron Ruched Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” Red Black Chevron Ruched Dress Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: F/W 2009 “The H...
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...
LOUIS FERAUD c.1980's Black Asymmetrical Tiered Ruffle Cocktail Dress
By Louis Feraud
Located in Thiensville, WI
Vintage Louis Feraud c.1980's black asymmetrical tiered ruffle cocktail dress. Black satin asymmetrical ruffle four tier over skirt. Matte shift under skirt with right side seam slit...
Alexander McQueen 2007 Red Silk Evening Dress w/ Black Pleated Tulle Underskirt
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Montgomery, TX
Alexander McQueen 2007 Red Silk Evening Dress with Black Pleated Tulle Underskirt Striking Alexander McQueen red silk evening dress, dating to 2007 and crafted in Italy, showcasing ...
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 ...
UNWORN Alexander McQueen 2008 Black Draped Goddess Evening Dress 42
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Switzerland, CH
EXTREMELY RARE COLLECTOR'S ITEM BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN FOR HIS 2008 RUNWAY COLLECTION Details: Gorgeous hand-sewn evening dress From Alexander McQueen's 2008 collection A true collec...
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 ...
Alexander McQueen S/S 2011 Pleated Silk Chiffon Strapless Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Paris, FR
Pleated silk chiffon strapless gown Alexander McQueen in vibrant red featuring floor-length silhouette with dramatic pleating throughout. Constructed with internal boned bustier in n...
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...
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.
