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.
FENDI -Bracelet Fox Fur Swarowski
By Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi
Located in PARIS, FR
Material: Silver-toned steel metal Embellishments: Swarovski crystals, white pearl center & removable violet fox Skin: Fox fur Scientific name: Vulpes Vulpes Color: Dyed violet F...
Valentino Black Fur
By Valentino Roma
Located in PARIS, FR
Skin: Rabbit & fox Scientific name: Oryctolagus cuniculus and Vulpes vulpes Color: Black (Dyed) Cut: Sleeveless Fastenings: Hook fastenings Designer: Valentino Roma Era: 1990s Ma...
Gucci Python Predator Runway FW S/S 2012 Black&Gold
By Frida Giannini, Gucci
Located in PARIS, FR
Color: Black & gold (Dyed and hand-detailed) Lining: Black silk Fastenings: Front zip closure Size: XS Designer: Frida Giannini for Gucci Era: Spring/Summer 2012 – Milan Fashion ...
Bespoke Sand Python Leather Tailored Jacket
Located in PARIS, FR
A striking 1990s blazer entirely crafted from genuine python skin, this piece embodies the daring sensuality and cinematic eccentricity that defined a decade of fearless fashion. Its...
Dior galliano fw 2007 heels reptile
By Christian Dior, John Galliano
Located in PARIS, FR
John Galliano pour Christian Dior Fall/Winter 2007 Cuir travaillé reptile Portées aux défilés 38 italien correspondant à un 39 français
Wool Fur Christian Lacroix 1990s
By Christian Lacroix, Christian Lacroix Paris
Located in PARIS, FR
Skin: Fox Scientific name: Vulpes vulpes Color: Dyed purple Composition: Wool, thick knit Trim Detail: Purple fox fur on all borders Cut: One-size-fits-all jacket Designer: Christian...
Alexander McQueen Embellished Skull Clutch
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Montgomery, TX
Alexander McQueen Embellished Skull Clutch – Gilded Glamour with Gothic Edge A dazzling fusion of artistry and attitude, this Alexander McQueen clutch is a show-stopping statement p...
ALEXANDER McQUEEN c.2013 Gold Glitter Leather Metal Knuckle Ring Duster Clutch
By Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen
Located in Thiensville, WI
Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Circa: 2013 Designer: Sarah Burton Manufacturer Style Name: Skull Four Ring Clutch Style: Clutch Handbag Color(s): Shades of gold, brown Lined: Yes Unmarked Fabric Content (feel of): Leather (lining), metal (hardware) Additional Details / Inclusions: Alexander McQueen circa 2013 knuckle ring duster box clutch. Long rectangular hardshell box exterior. Gold metallic glitter exterior. Large gold-toned metal skull and gemstone feature ring clasp at top of bag; gold-toned metal hardware around opening of bag. Four knuckle-ring sculpted skull hardware embellished with crystals; single large clear gemstone ring detail. Single long interior compartment. Brown leather interior lining with “Alexander McQueen Made In...
Alexander McQueen minaudiere bag
By Alexander McQueen, Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN -(Made in Italy) Shiny purple and green mink minaudiere bag with a clip fastener on a silvery metal rigid frame topped with a rhinestones skull. A Collection under ...
Valentino 'talisman' minaudiere bag by Pier Paolo Piccioli & Maria Grazia Chiuri
By Valentino
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
VALENTINO - 2014 Spring-Summer ready-to-wear Collection under the artistic direction of Pier Paolo Piccioli & Maria Grazia Chiuri. Golden metal "Talisman" minaudiere bag ornamented ...
New Alexander McQueen Resort 2020 Satin Clutch Bag $2050 With Tags
By Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, Alexander McQueen
Located in Conroe, TX
Brand New With Tags Alexander McQueen Embroidered Satin De Manta Clutch Bag $2050 Resort 2020 Alexander McQueen's Iconic De Manta Clutch Stunning in Black Satin and Pink Embroidery ...
Alexander McQueen De Manta Clutch
By Alexander McQueen
Located in Scottsdale, AZ
Express yourself in style with the Alexander McQueen De Manta Clutch. This playful pink and red leopard printed satin clutch is perfect for ...
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.
