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 Draped Shoulder Halter Neck Evening Gown/Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
We Adore - Alexander McQueen Draped Shoulder Halter Neck Evening Gown/Dress Bright red evening dress deisgned with a distinctive asymmetric draped shoulder silhouette. Featuring a ...
Alexander McQueen Runway Evening Gown Fall/Winter 2008 Size 38IT
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Saint Petersburg, FL
Alexander McQueen Runway Evening Gown Fall/Winter 2008 Size 38IT
Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton 2012 Tulle Gathered Bustier Draped Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
An ethereal, softly structured piece from Alexander McQueen under the direction of Sarah Burton, circa 2012. Crafted in layers of weightless ivory tulle, this gown falls from a scul...
Alexander McQueen 2004 runway gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZH
Look 50 of the Alexander Mcqueen 2004FW runway show. A short version of this design was seen during the 2004SS “Deliverance” collection. It’s inspired by the 1970s film “They Shoot...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 Ivory Silk Chiffon Full Length Ballgown Dress Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
ALEXANDER McQUEEN S/S 2007 Ivory Silk Chiffon Gathered Full Length Ballgown Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Collection: S/S 2007 Style: Ballgown Color(s): Shades of ivory Lined: Yes Unmarked Fabric Content: 100% Silk Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen S/S 2007 silk chiffon ball gown...
Alexander McQueen long dress
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN - (Made in Italy) Long openback dress made of pink and black satin. Size 48IT. Piece from the 2010s under the artistic direction of Sarah Burton. Condition: Very g...
Alexander Mcqueen fushia silk chiffon dress circa 2008
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Eivissa, ES
This stunning Alexander McQueen fuchsia silk dress is a true statement piece from the early 2000s, embodying the brand’s signature avant-garde elegance. Designed to create a striking silhouette, this strapless dress features soft pleats and a dramatic flowing train, perfect for high-profile events or special occasions. The rich fuchsia color adds an element of boldness and femininity, while the luxurious silk fabric ensures a fluid, graceful look. This Alexander McQueen silk dress...
2003 Alexander McQueen Silk Printed Strapless Draped Column Evening Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Studio City, CA
2003 Alexander McQueen creme with yellow "batik-like" printed silk strapless, draped column gown. Bustier at the interior. Size tag 44 and fabric tag say...
$12,385
Size: FR 36 - IT 40 - UK 8
Alexander McQueen red silk chiffon empire evening dress with train, fw 2008
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
Alexander McQueen red crinkled silk chiffon empire evening dress with long train, structured bust and draped skirt. Fall-Winter 2008
2011 Alexander McQueen Red Abstract Rose Print Chiffon Corset Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in London, GB
This stunning gown is from Sarah Burton’s Resort 2011 collection for Alexander McQueen. One of the designer’s first collections for McQueen after the eponymous founder’s passing, Vog...
Valentino F/W 2006 Red Silk Jersey Asymmetric Gown
By Valentino
Located in Paris, FR
Silk jersey evening gown Valentino crafted in vibrant red silk with an asymmetric neckline design. The dress features a fitted bodice with strategic side ruching that creates flatter...
Gucci by Tom Ford F/W 2002 Silk Halter Neck Gown with Lace-Up Detailing
By Tom Ford for Gucci
Located in Paris, FR
Press Office Sample. Halter neck gown Gucci crafted from black silk jersey with distinctive lace-up side detailing. Features plunging V-neckline, halter neck construction, and fitted...
Alexander McQueen S/S 2016 Black And Ivory Lace Cut-Out Tiered High-Low Gown
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Paris, FR
From the S/S 2016 collection of Alexander McQueen, this gown deploys a striking high-low silhouette that pairs a body-skimming lace bodice with an extravagant tiered skirt trailing t...
Valentino F/W 2005 Burgundy Iridescent Taffeta Silk Gown
By Valentino
Located in Paris, FR
Burgundy iridescent taffeta silk gown Valentino featuring a strapless bodice with smocked ruffle detailing at the bust and empire waistline. The dress showcases extensive shirring an...
Chloé by Karl Lagarfeld 1980s Ruched Rhinestone-Trimmed Maxi Dress
By Chloé
Located in Paris, FR
From the 1980s archive of Chloé by Karl Lagerfeld, this black maxi dress is constructed in a fine jersey that drapes closely to the body. The front bodice features sustained central ...
Alexander McQueen F/W 2009 The Horn of Plenty Metallic Lamé Dress
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Paris, FR
Metallic lamé dress Alexander McQueen from the celebrated F/W 2009 The Horn of Plenty collection. Constructed in silver-toned lamé with distinctive crosshatched metallic finish throu...
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.
