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 F/W 1995 "Highland Rape" Black Long Sleeve V Neck Knit Sweater
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 1995 "Highland Rape" Black Long Sleeve V Neck Knit Sweater Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: F/W 1995 Designer:...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 1999 "The Overlook" Cream Knit Ribbon Stitched Sweater
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
DESCRIPTION: ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 1999 "The Overlook" Cream Knit Ribbon Stitched Sweater Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Autumn / W...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 2009 “Horn Of Plenty” Dogtooth Knit Mock Neck Sweater Top
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN A/W 2009 “The Horn Of Plenty” Dogtooth Print Knit Sweater Top Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: A/W 2009 “The Horn Of Plenty” Designer: Alexan...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 1998 “Joan” Black Stripe Semi Sheer Turtleneck Sweater Top
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN F/W 1998 “Joan” Black Stripe Semi-Sheer Turtleneck Sweater Top Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: F/W 1998 “Joan”...
GIVENCHY Couture A/W 1998 ALEXANDER McQUEEN Embellished Knit Top Cardigan Set
By Alexander McQueen, Givenchy
Located in Thiensville, WI
GIVENCHY Couture A/W 1998 ALEXANDER McQUEEN Embellished Knit Top Cardigan Set Brand / Manufacturer: Givenchy Couture Collection: A/W 1998 Designer: Alexander McQueen Style: Knit shor...
WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK Wild & Lethal Trash c.1990's Navy Knit Turtleneck Sweater
By Walter Van Beirendonck
Located in Thiensville, WI
WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK Wild & Lethal Trash Navy Knit Turtleneck Sweater (convertible V-Neck and Dickie) Circa: 1990's Label(s): Wild and Lethal Trash Brand / Manufacturer: Wild and Lethal Trash Collection: Kiss the Future Designer: Walter Van Beirendonck Style: V-neck knitted sweater w/ turtleneck attachment Color(s): Navy, silver chrome detail patch Lined: No Marked Fabric Content: 70% Wool, 30% acrylic Unmarked Fabric Content (feel of): Metal Zippers (Turtleneck attachment), vinyl silver patch Additional Details / Inclusions: Base v-neck sweater with metal...
2005 Alexander McQueen Mohair Sweater Fall / Winter 2005 Collection
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Alexander McQueen — Mohair Sweater from Fall/Winter 2005 Collection Made in Italy 80% Mohair, 20% Polyamide Size XS Rare vintage sweater b...
Alexander McQueen Cashmere Knitted Jumper
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen Cashmere Knitted Jumper Bright red jumper fully crafted from cashmere. Designed with vertical tailored dart details, relaxed silhouette and a crew neckline. Rrp ...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN grey frayed fringe step hem raglan knit sweater S
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN grey frayed fringe step hem raglan knit sweater S Reference: TGAS/F00077 Brand: Alexander McQueen Material: Viscose, Blend, Leather Color: Grey Pattern: Solid Closu...
Rare F/W 2005 Alexander McQueen Fair-Isle boiled wool Sweater / cardigan
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Алматинский Почтамт, KZ
Rare F/W 2005 Alexander McQueen Fair-Isle boiled wool Sweater / cardigan Designer: Alexander McQueen Brand: Alexander McQueen Collection: Fall / winter 2005 «The Man Who Knew Too Much» Country of origin: Italy Material: 100% wool Reference: 1. Victoria Beckham arrives at Ciampino Airport to leave Rome following the wedding of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise on November 19, 2006 in Rome, Italy. 2. Runway reference photo Please note: the runway photos show the pullover version, also on Victoria Beckham, but it is a cardigan with buttons in the front. Details: elongated sleeves, the pattern includes skulls, which Alexander McQueen used...
Alexander McQueen Ribbed Knit Top - '10s
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Effortlessly chic and versatile, this Alexander McQueen top is crafted in wool with a chic ribbed pattern. The black long top features a high neck and short sleeves for a contemporar...
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2018 100% cashmere silver chain cold shoulder sweater S
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Hong Kong, NT
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN 2018 100% cashmere silver chain cold shoulder sweater S Reference: TGAS/E00816 Brand: Alexander McQueen Designer: Sarah Burton Material: Cashmere, Metal Color: Blac...
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.
