Lee Alexander McQueen’s designs, with their pin-sharp tailoring and Gothic flair, may be immediately recognizable, and worn by collectors worldwide. But how did the man himself dress?
Kerry Taylor Auctions is about to answer that question with a sale of pieces from McQueen’s personal wardrobe, including suits and blazers of his own making as well as creations by Tom Ford for Gucci, Maison Martin Margiela, Prada, Hermès, Ralph Lauren, Helmut Lang and Carol Christian Poell.
McQueen was photographed wearing several of the looks that will go under the hammer as part of a wider auction of menswear in London on March 10.
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The clothing is from the estate of Lee McQueen, and includes his white double-breasted Gucci suit from the spring 2003 collection, which he wore to accept the International Award at the 2003 CFDA gala in New York.
McQueen wore the same look during his fall 2004 “Pantheon as Lecum” show, on the runway and backstage. On the day of the show, he was photographed standing beside Kate Moss, who was smoking a cigarette. According to Kerry Taylor, the McQueen estate has confirmed that the small burn marks on the cuff were from the cigarette ash.
Alex Baddeley, director and fashion specialist, Kerry Taylor Auctions, said the pieces speak to McQueen’s “eye for line and construction, but also to the wit and nerve that made him a cultural force.”
Baddeley added that McQueen “collected and wore other designers with intention, and in this wardrobe you witness a dialogue among the era’s most rigorous thinkers in menswear.”
Beyond the McQueen collection, The Male Sale features a range of rare menswear dating from 1770 to 2020.
It includes the largest collection of Carol Christian Poell clothing ever offered at auction and early Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren designs, such as rare mohair sweaters, printed T-shirts and punk-coded distressed pieces from the Sex and Seditionaries boutiques.
There are also Christopher Nemeth works from the early 1980s, including a rare jacket made from surplus postal sacks, and complete Jean Paul Gaultier ensembles from the early 1990s. The auction isn’t all designer labels, though. There are also early 20th-century court liveries in the mix.
The auction should be interesting for other reasons, too.
Baddeley said men have long been underserved in the auction market, “so our Male Sale has opened a unique space for collectors to acquire items they can actually wear. Now that there is a dedicated space, we have seen prices increase. Likewise, it means that if men have some hidden gems in their wardrobe that they no longer use, they can feel reassured that these things can now get the exposure they deserve.”
He added that Alexander McQueen menswear in particular “has become intensely sought after,” not just for the tailoring – the designer trained on Savile Row at Anderson & Sheppard and at Gieves & Hawkes – but for its cultural significance, too.
Baddeley said McQueen’s influence “extends far beyond just fashion; his work has left a profound and enduring imprint on contemporary culture at large and the way we understand beauty generally. Although today’s fashion landscape is filled with extraordinary talent, it remains impossible not to feel the absence of his dark, unbound creativity on the catwalks each season.”
He added: “There is a palpable void in the contemporary fashion world, one that may never be filled. For this reason, the opportunity to acquire pieces that held such personal significance for McQueen himself will undoubtedly resonate with anyone who appreciates fashion, beauty, and the tragic brilliance that defined his vision.”