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 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 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 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 Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, 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 Pre-Fall 2015 Croc Embossed Leather Metal Cage Box Handbag
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN Pre-Fall 2015 Black Croc Embossed Leather Metal Cage Box Handbag Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: Pre-Fall 2015 Designer: Alexander McQueen Styl...
VALENTINO Boutique A/W 2000 Black Metallic Sequin Knit Scoop Neck Top
By Valentino, Valentino Garavani
Located in Thiensville, WI
Valentino Boutique Autumn/Winter 2000 black metallic sequin knit scoop neck top designed by Valentino Garavani. Black semi-sheer knit with all over sequin clusters. 3/4 length sleeve...
F/W 1999 Gianni Versace by Donatella Black Pearl Chainmail Satin Evening Bag
By Gianni Versace, Donatella Versace for Gianni Versace
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Donatella Versace designed this elegant black satin evening bag for the Gianni Versace Fall/Winter 1999 collection. This chic bag is constructed of black satin and features a silver-...
Judith Leiber Black Snake Skin Bag W/ Gold Details
By Judith Leiber
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Judith Leiber Black Snake Skin Bag W/ Gold Detail. From 1980s in excellent condition, Measurements: Length - 16 inches Height - 9 inches Width - 6 i...
Judith Leiber Black Alligator Shoulder Bag
By Judith Leiber
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Judith Leiber Black Alligator Shoulder Bag in very good condition. Black alligator trimmed with gold hardware and double snake chain sho...
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Hobo Bag Medium Black leather with Metal Studs 40cm
By Bottega Veneta
Located in AUBERVILLIERS, FR
Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Hobo Bag Medium Black leather with Metal Studs 40cm These are professional photos of the actual bag offered by Luxbags. This Bottega Veneta Hobo Bag is an ...
Judith Leiber Black Minaudiere Change Purse
By Judith Leiber
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Judith Leiber Black Minaudiere Change Purse Signed. Shoulder-length gilt-toned chain. Width 3 in. Condition Report Good condition.
S/S 2003 Dolce & Gabbana Runway Black Python Leather Ring Shoulder Bag
By Dolce & Gabbana
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Introducing a fabulous black python skin bag by Dolce & Gabbana from the Spring/Summer 2003 collection. The patent leather iteration of this bag made its runway debut in look 8, modeled by Eva Herzigova. As seen on Victoria Beckham front row at the Fall/Winter 2003 Dolce & Gabbana runway show. Constructed entirely of black python skin, this bag features a silver-tone metal clamshell...
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.
