This very rare runway documented Givenchy Haute Couture suit is from the Fall 2000 collection and is the twin of the one that walked the runway. This is from the small period of time that Alexander McQueen was the Creative Director for the house. He succeeded John Galliano as head designer in 1996 at the age of 27. McQueen subsequently left the label in 2001 when his contract ended citing his creativity was constrained. His appointment there had been tumultuous from the start. Hubert de Givenchy had describe his appointment it as a "total disaster” and McQueen had shot back that the founder was “irrelevant”. Of course now in hindsight we see these collections for the genius that they were. They still had that rebellious spark running through them that McQueen is known for and these are now a cherished part of his history. They also showcased his ability to navigate the world of Haute Couture. He has said in interviews that he did walk away from the label with far greater knowledge about the techniques of couture and the process of couture, which of course benefited how own label greatly. 

On the runway this suit was shown with a silk top underneath with a flounced collar. This one came comes with its matching vest making it a proper three piece suit for a strong plays on menswear. There is much talk about the rebellion of McQueen and I feel like with the dramatic sculpted hairstyle that he styled the suit with and sending a model down the runway with a lit cigarette shows that spirit. When was known for his remarkable tailoring and this suit is no exception. It's made from a classic pinstriped men's wool suiting in a black. The pinstripes are created by running a gold toned thread vertically through the fabric. The fabric has a slight texture to it which adds to the beauty of the suit. The jacket is an incredible feat of construction. This is where McQueen's genius shines and having the couture atelier at his disposal just makes it stronger. Sleeves are cut long with four functional buttons at each cuff. The buttons are black enamel with gold edging. The shoulders are shaped with internal padding. The front lapel is done in a muted gold silk satin. It comes down the front in a tuxedo reminiscent shape and I love that the inner edge of the jacket is lined in that same gold silk. So if you open the jacket you get that flash of colour all the way to the bottom. The jacket is shaped with an incredibly masterful hand. The shape is a result of multiple tiny precise seams that run from just under the bust to the hem all the way around the jacket. They are done so precisely that at first glance you might mistake them for the pinstriping, but upon closer inspection you see that each is a tiny little perfect vertical seam. Each is tailored to perfection to bring the waist in and give the jacket shape. There is light inner padding and shaping underneath around the hip. A flap pocket sit on each hip and it closes with two matching gold and black buttons at the front. The vest underneath is made from the same gold as the lapel of the jacket and it is an almost straight replica of a classic men's vest. It buttons at the front with silk covered buttons in a matching gold. The pants are fabulous and are very unusual. They have a flat front with no band around the waist and are cut to sit slightly low on the hip. A classic McQueen signature. There is a sharp fold running down the front and back of the pants. The lower half of the pant leg is split to the knee up the back and then that split is edged with panels of the same gold silk of the collar and vest. This gives a slight flare and is an incredible detail. The upper part of the jacket has a slightly oversized fit and you can see on the runway shots that this is intentional. This is a remarkable example of his skills as a tailor and his time at Givenchy. Excellent condition with one small note below

All three pieces are hand lined. The jacket and pants in a fine black silk and the vest in a matching gold coloured silk. The jacket and vest button at the front to close and the pants zip to close. All the work is entirely done by hand to haute couture standards. I see some small faint marks on the lapel and front of the vest. This may come out with additional cleaning. It has been cleaned but not aggressively. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Please see the two photos after the label shot. The pockets in the jacket are still tax shot. It is remarkable. The proper Haute Couture labels and handwritten tape are present.

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to head 

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" waist to hem
Inseam: 33.5" from inner seam to hem
Rise: 13.5" from back waist to inner seam

Vest
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4261

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2000 Givenchy Couture.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Vogue praised the intricate and meticulous details put into the pieces of this collection. The collection was inspired by a mix of Marie Antoinette, Tim Burton films, Sleepy Hollow in particular, and he even had Burton design the lighting for the show. There was a bit of schoolgirl fetish in the mix and the Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious title of the show was of course taken from Mary Poppins. I have included a snapshot from one of the Mcqueen books that talks more of the various inspirations that were behind this spectacular collection. On the clothes themselves Vogue noted the 'Milkmaid necklines—far from innocent-were pushed up by leather bodices that curved down into the tightest pencil skirts, and finished off with thigh-high leather boots. McQueen moved from that Helmut Newton-esque fantasy to another—bad schoolgirls, who mixed lingerie and silver lamé ties and skirts in with their proper blazers and duffels. For a splendid finale, he brought out romantic flouncy skirts....' Lee did multiple variations of this look throughout the collection and this neckline in particular was a prominent detail. This dress was a piece made for production for the shops and seems to be a combination of the final look of the show and an earlier ivory version of the dress. I have included both those reference looks here. It is extremely beautiful in person.

'I wanted it to be romantic, beautiful,' McQueen said of this collection and the pieces, the dresses especially, were just that. The dress has a beautifully romantic and slightly subversive scooped neckline. There is an inset of black silk chiffon that is gathered into a raw edged ruffle all the way around the neck line. It dips low in the front and also at the back. A silk satin band acts like a halter corset and is set under the breasts for support. Little capped silk chiffon sleeves are set on each side and their edges have also been left raw and unfinished. Under the bust there are panels of the same silk as the halter detail that wrap around from the back zipper. These curve down and past the waist at the front to add shape through the waist. The dress is made from long vertical seams that run from under the breast to the hem. The dress skims over the hips and then flares out dramatically at the hem. Long triangle shaped panels have been set all around the skirt between the vertical panels to create that wonderful flared fullness. Under that is a second inner layer that's also completely vertically seamed. The inner layer is made from a soft black silk but when it reaches the hem it also has insets of the black lace. These act as support to the top layer and help keep the shape and fullness of the skirt. Under all of that is another layer of silk chiffon with a raw edge hem. The lace has been treated so that it is slightly stiffened and this helps to retain the volume of the dress. Inside the bodice there is a banded corset shaped almost like a bandeau for support and some extra shape. At the back zipper on either side are more of the laced panels to give the illusion that you are completely laced and corseted into the dress. The dress is spectacular and it is immaculate. This is a wonderful example of his work during this time. period. And it's even better on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in layers of silk as described above. The inner corset closes with lingerie hook and eye and then dress zips to close over that. Tagged a McQueen 42. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. I have included the measurements for the outer dress as well as the inner corset. You could extend/add to the inner corset to get more room if needed

Inner corset: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, outer bust to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam, outer bust to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to inner waist
Total length: 40" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4234

Reference Photos/Video: (1-6) Fall 2002 Alexander McQueen Runway.  /  (7) From the book "Alexander McQueen" Edited by Claire Wilcox.  /  (8) Alexander McQueen dress on display at the "Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-vouz" exhibit at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, 2023. (photo courtesy @pmb1976)

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a gorgeous dress from Alexander McQueen. It is from his Spring 2010 collection and it is a one of the original variations of a dress that they still make to this day. Julianne Hough recently wore a black version from my archives and I have included some shots of her so you can get an idea of how amazing it is on the body. The one that she wore was from a later collection released under the creative direction of Sarah Burton but it was based on the dresses released from this original 2010 collection. I have two versions of this dress in the shop from this season at the moment, you can find the other one here. This is basically the printed version of the one that Julianne wore. It is a fantastic example of his work. I love it

The dress is made from a printed silk chiffon that is covered with one of his signature intricate designs. Prince a trailing design of leaves and flowers that float over the dress and follow the amazing draping that the dress has. It is strapless with a built-in inner cupped bodice that gives you support and holds the dress in place. The cups are shaped and these cups are one of the things that you see that is different from the later versions of this dress. These earlier piece have distinctively shaped cups The seams in the inner cups are exaggerated and this gives them this beautiful curving angle shape at the sides and peak at the front. The silk that drapes over that is all cut on the bias. The dress glides over the inner structure and falls in column to the skirt. The silk is gathered in towards the center of the front and the back so that there is more draping there and then it fall in draping curves down the sides. The choice of silk chiffon for this one gives it a lighter than air feel and as you move the silk billows and floats around you. It also creates this incredible movement when you walk. The dress is original supermodel length and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is spectacularly beautiful.Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black bias cut silk and has a built in cupped corset. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 44. The inner corset has some stretch. You could have the inner corset adjusted if you needed more or less room. Buttons on the inner bodice to add straps if you wanted. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Inner corset waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4181

Reference Photos: Julianne Hough in Alexander McQueen from the Shrimpton Couture Archives for the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2022.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. I have included two photos from the runway that year and you can see how the elements from these pieces were combined to create this dress. Pieces from this collection are some of the most valued by collectors. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress feels a bit like the embodiment of that center piece they refer to, as you are wrapped an swathed in fabric once it is on. The impact of this dress is not truly conveyed on the photos and the way that the chiffon trails behind you is fantastic once on the body.

The dress is beautiful. Rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready to wear. The fabric is a silk chiffon with a soft almost waffle finish texture. The silk is feather light and once the dress in on the body it feels like you are wearing air. The cut is classic McQueen with an almost scandalously low cut squared off neckline. Underneath he has suggested the presence of a seam with a line of hand placed stitches. This tiny little detail adds shape and gives that dress its empire feel. It is lightly gathered over the bust. Inside the bust is structured and supported. The support is genius and done mainly by couture level seam work and fabric rather then extensive boning. The skirt falls to the floor from beneath the bodice and there are many yards of silk used to create that magnificent skirt. On one side under the bust there is a extra panel of the silk that is caught up and drapes to attach to the top of the opposite shoulder. This creates this curved line that sits off of the dress. The skirts are long and extend even longer at the back. The skirt extends out there to trail out behind you in a long train. I love how the fanbric there extends out from the back upper seam ... as you walk this creates this billowing feel behind you that is extraordinary. It is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. The dress has its original hang tags in place and is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in black silk satin through the bust and black silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. The interior bust is shaped and lightly boned at the sides. Original tags attached. Tagged a McQueen 38.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist-hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from shoulder to seam under bust
Length: approx 60" from shoulder to shortest point of the front hem, approx 90" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3473

Reference Photos: (1-2) F/W 2008 Alexander McQueen Runway Collection (Look 7 & Look 27).

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This spectacular Alexander McQueen dress is from the Pre-fall 2016 collection. The presentation version was far more elaborate but I think I prefer this one. It allows you to really see the pattern on the lace and I think can be worn to more functions with its simpler more versatile feel. Vogue's Sarah Mower said in part of this collection; 'There’s a sensuous glamour emerging through Pre-Fall which seems to be hovering somewhere around the ’30s or ’40s. Sarah Burton has pinned it to a theme she called “thinking about a woman’s obsession with the possessions she treasures, like her jewelry and makeup, and the things she collects.” This Pre-Fall character is a properly elegant woman, with red lipstick and a penchant for feather chubbies and velvet ankle-strap platforms, who might reach into her extensive wardrobe and choose between any number of fragile, dramatic gowns for an evening out.' and the lace butterfly dresses were mentioned specifically; 'Well, it’s a delight when fashion can make you fantasize for a moment. Yet the fact is that Sarah Burton has steered this collection gently away from too much stylization. “It's quite feminine, and unconstructed,” is the way she puts it. The patterns of lipsticks, Fabergé eggs, butterflies, birds, and the McQueen skull motif appear as prints on silk dresses and on coats, as well as on the show-stopping embroidered sheer gowns.'

The dress is almost startling in its beauty. It is made from an inner taupey nude silk that acts as the backdrop for the black net lace that sits over it. This allows you to fully appreciate the pattern that is worked through the lace. From a distance it acts as an illusion that you are bare under the lace. The lace itself has large butterflies worked through it that are beautiful. Every line of the dress is perfection. It falls from the shoulder to follow the curve of your body. Seams worked through the dress create the shape that you see but they have taken great care to line up the pattern of the lace along each seam so that your eye is not broken and the pattern remains true as it trails across the dress. From the waist is falls in one long sheath to the floor widening out gently as it reaches the hem. At the back it has a large curved cut out that leaves you entire back bare and exposed. So when you walk away it has a very sensual and sexy feel. The sleeves are the final touch and they are fantastic. Each is unlined so that you see bare skin through the lace. They are cut high and peaked at the top of the shoulder with a little bit of tulle at the inner edge to hold their shape. It is spectacular and a wonderful example of Sarah's earlier work. It is a wonderful dress now and will be a collectible in the future. Excellent condition

Fully lined in silk as described above and closes with a low set hidden zipper at the back. Three button and loops behind the neck. Each cuff zippers to close. Tagged a modern McQueen 42. 

Sleeves: 25"
Inset shoulders: 13" with natural shoulders approx 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Neck: 14" around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3964

Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2016 Alexander McQueen Collection, Look 33.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This very rare runway documented Givenchy Haute Couture suit is from the Fall 2000 collection and is the twin of the one that walked the runway. This is from the small period of time that Alexander McQueen was the Creative Director for the house. He succeeded John Galliano as head designer in 1996 at the age of 27. McQueen subsequently left the label in 2001 when his contract ended citing his creativity was constrained. His appointment there had been tumultuous from the start. Hubert de Givenchy had describe his appointment it as a "total disaster” and McQueen had shot back that the founder was “irrelevant”. Of course now in hindsight we see these collections for the genius that they were. They still had that rebellious spark running through them that McQueen is known for and these are now a cherished part of his history. They also showcased his ability to navigate the world of Haute Couture. He has said in interviews that he did walk away from the label with far greater knowledge about the techniques of couture and the process of couture, which of course benefited how own label greatly. 

On the runway this suit was shown with a silk top underneath with a flounced collar. This one came comes with its matching vest making it a proper three piece suit for a strong plays on menswear. There is much talk about the rebellion of McQueen and I feel like with the dramatic sculpted hairstyle that he styled the suit with and sending a model down the runway with a lit cigarette shows that spirit. When was known for his remarkable tailoring and this suit is no exception. It's made from a classic pinstriped men's wool suiting in a black. The pinstripes are created by running a gold toned thread vertically through the fabric. The fabric has a slight texture to it which adds to the beauty of the suit. The jacket is an incredible feat of construction. This is where McQueen's genius shines and having the couture atelier at his disposal just makes it stronger. Sleeves are cut long with four functional buttons at each cuff. The buttons are black enamel with gold edging. The shoulders are shaped with internal padding. The front lapel is done in a muted gold silk satin. It comes down the front in a tuxedo reminiscent shape and I love that the inner edge of the jacket is lined in that same gold silk. So if you open the jacket you get that flash of colour all the way to the bottom. The jacket is shaped with an incredibly masterful hand. The shape is a result of multiple tiny precise seams that run from just under the bust to the hem all the way around the jacket. They are done so precisely that at first glance you might mistake them for the pinstriping, but upon closer inspection you see that each is a tiny little perfect vertical seam. Each is tailored to perfection to bring the waist in and give the jacket shape. There is light inner padding and shaping underneath around the hip. A flap pocket sit on each hip and it closes with two matching gold and black buttons at the front. The vest underneath is made from the same gold as the lapel of the jacket and it is an almost straight replica of a classic men's vest. It buttons at the front with silk covered buttons in a matching gold. The pants are fabulous and are very unusual. They have a flat front with no band around the waist and are cut to sit slightly low on the hip. A classic McQueen signature. There is a sharp fold running down the front and back of the pants. The lower half of the pant leg is split to the knee up the back and then that split is edged with panels of the same gold silk of the collar and vest. This gives a slight flare and is an incredible detail. The upper part of the jacket has a slightly oversized fit and you can see on the runway shots that this is intentional. This is a remarkable example of his skills as a tailor and his time at Givenchy. Excellent condition with one small note below

All three pieces are hand lined. The jacket and pants in a fine black silk and the vest in a matching gold coloured silk. The jacket and vest button at the front to close and the pants zip to close. All the work is entirely done by hand to haute couture standards. I see some small faint marks on the lapel and front of the vest. This may come out with additional cleaning. It has been cleaned but not aggressively. It otherwise looks to have been worn very little if at all. Please see the two photos after the label shot. The pockets in the jacket are still tax shot. It is remarkable. The proper Haute Couture labels and handwritten tape are present.

Jacket
Sleeves: 23.5"
Shoulders: 16"
Bust: to 22.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 15.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 26.5" from neck to head 

Pant
Waist: 15" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 43" waist to hem
Inseam: 33.5" from inner seam to hem
Rise: 13.5" from back waist to inner seam

Vest
Bust: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 22" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4261

Reference Photos/Video: Fall 2000 Givenchy Couture.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

Vogue praised the intricate and meticulous details put into the pieces of this collection. The collection was inspired by a mix of Marie Antoinette, Tim Burton films, Sleepy Hollow in particular, and he even had Burton design the lighting for the show. There was a bit of schoolgirl fetish in the mix and the Supercalifragilistic-Expialidocious title of the show was of course taken from Mary Poppins. I have included a snapshot from one of the Mcqueen books that talks more of the various inspirations that were behind this spectacular collection. On the clothes themselves Vogue noted the 'Milkmaid necklines—far from innocent-were pushed up by leather bodices that curved down into the tightest pencil skirts, and finished off with thigh-high leather boots. McQueen moved from that Helmut Newton-esque fantasy to another—bad schoolgirls, who mixed lingerie and silver lamé ties and skirts in with their proper blazers and duffels. For a splendid finale, he brought out romantic flouncy skirts....' Lee did multiple variations of this look throughout the collection and this neckline in particular was a prominent detail. This dress was a piece made for production for the shops and seems to be a combination of the final look of the show and an earlier ivory version of the dress. I have included both those reference looks here. It is extremely beautiful in person.

'I wanted it to be romantic, beautiful,' McQueen said of this collection and the pieces, the dresses especially, were just that. The dress has a beautifully romantic and slightly subversive scooped neckline. There is an inset of black silk chiffon that is gathered into a raw edged ruffle all the way around the neck line. It dips low in the front and also at the back. A silk satin band acts like a halter corset and is set under the breasts for support. Little capped silk chiffon sleeves are set on each side and their edges have also been left raw and unfinished. Under the bust there are panels of the same silk as the halter detail that wrap around from the back zipper. These curve down and past the waist at the front to add shape through the waist. The dress is made from long vertical seams that run from under the breast to the hem. The dress skims over the hips and then flares out dramatically at the hem. Long triangle shaped panels have been set all around the skirt between the vertical panels to create that wonderful flared fullness. Under that is a second inner layer that's also completely vertically seamed. The inner layer is made from a soft black silk but when it reaches the hem it also has insets of the black lace. These act as support to the top layer and help keep the shape and fullness of the skirt. Under all of that is another layer of silk chiffon with a raw edge hem. The lace has been treated so that it is slightly stiffened and this helps to retain the volume of the dress. Inside the bodice there is a banded corset shaped almost like a bandeau for support and some extra shape. At the back zipper on either side are more of the laced panels to give the illusion that you are completely laced and corseted into the dress. The dress is spectacular and it is immaculate. This is a wonderful example of his work during this time. period. And it's even better on the body. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

Fully lined in layers of silk as described above. The inner corset closes with lingerie hook and eye and then dress zips to close over that. Tagged a McQueen 42. The dress appears to have been worn very little if at all. I have included the measurements for the outer dress as well as the inner corset. You could extend/add to the inner corset to get more room if needed

Inner corset: 16.5" flat across from side seam to side seam, outer bust to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam, outer bust to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam 
Hips: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bodice: 15" from top of shoulder to inner waist
Total length: 40" from top of the shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4234

Reference Photos/Video: (1-6) Fall 2002 Alexander McQueen Runway.  /  (7) From the book "Alexander McQueen" Edited by Claire Wilcox.  /  (8) Alexander McQueen dress on display at the "Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray: Rendez-vouz" exhibit at the Crocker Museum in Sacramento, 2023. (photo courtesy @pmb1976)

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This is a gorgeous dress from Alexander McQueen. It is from his Spring 2010 collection and it is a one of the original variations of a dress that they still make to this day. Julianne Hough recently wore a black version from my archives and I have included some shots of her so you can get an idea of how amazing it is on the body. The one that she wore was from a later collection released under the creative direction of Sarah Burton but it was based on the dresses released from this original 2010 collection. I have two versions of this dress in the shop from this season at the moment, you can find the other one here. This is basically the printed version of the one that Julianne wore. It is a fantastic example of his work. I love it

The dress is made from a printed silk chiffon that is covered with one of his signature intricate designs. Prince a trailing design of leaves and flowers that float over the dress and follow the amazing draping that the dress has. It is strapless with a built-in inner cupped bodice that gives you support and holds the dress in place. The cups are shaped and these cups are one of the things that you see that is different from the later versions of this dress. These earlier piece have distinctively shaped cups The seams in the inner cups are exaggerated and this gives them this beautiful curving angle shape at the sides and peak at the front. The silk that drapes over that is all cut on the bias. The dress glides over the inner structure and falls in column to the skirt. The silk is gathered in towards the center of the front and the back so that there is more draping there and then it fall in draping curves down the sides. The choice of silk chiffon for this one gives it a lighter than air feel and as you move the silk billows and floats around you. It also creates this incredible movement when you walk. The dress is original supermodel length and looks to have been worn very little if at all. It is spectacularly beautiful.Excellent condition

Fully lined in a black bias cut silk and has a built in cupped corset. The inner corset closes with its own zipper and the dress zips to close over that with a hidden set zipper. Tagged a McQueen 44. The inner corset has some stretch. You could have the inner corset adjusted if you needed more or less room. Buttons on the inner bodice to add straps if you wanted. 

Bust: to 18" flat across from side seam to side seam with a B-C cup
Inner corset waist: 13-16" flat across from side seam to side seam
Inner hips: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 64" from top of bodice to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD4181

Reference Photos: Julianne Hough in Alexander McQueen from the Shrimpton Couture Archives for the Vanity Fair Oscars Party, 2022.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

McQueen's Fall 2008 collection was called 'The Girl Who Lived in a Tree' and it was inspired by a combination of his trip to India and a 600 year old elm in his garden. I have included two photos from the runway that year and you can see how the elements from these pieces were combined to create this dress. Pieces from this collection are some of the most valued by collectors. The V&A Museum says of this collection: 'McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2008 collection centered on a fairy tale narrative devised by McQueen about a girl who descends from a tree to marry a prince and then become a queen. It was inspired by a 600-year-old elm tree in the garden of the designer’s Sussex home. At the center of the set stood a giant tree swathed in fabric, inspired by Bulgarian artist Christo, who is renowned for wrapping buildings with material.' This dress feels a bit like the embodiment of that center piece they refer to, as you are wrapped an swathed in fabric once it is on. The impact of this dress is not truly conveyed on the photos and the way that the chiffon trails behind you is fantastic once on the body.

The dress is beautiful. Rarely does one see this level of workmanship in ready to wear. The fabric is a silk chiffon with a soft almost waffle finish texture. The silk is feather light and once the dress in on the body it feels like you are wearing air. The cut is classic McQueen with an almost scandalously low cut squared off neckline. Underneath he has suggested the presence of a seam with a line of hand placed stitches. This tiny little detail adds shape and gives that dress its empire feel. It is lightly gathered over the bust. Inside the bust is structured and supported. The support is genius and done mainly by couture level seam work and fabric rather then extensive boning. The skirt falls to the floor from beneath the bodice and there are many yards of silk used to create that magnificent skirt. On one side under the bust there is a extra panel of the silk that is caught up and drapes to attach to the top of the opposite shoulder. This creates this curved line that sits off of the dress. The skirts are long and extend even longer at the back. The skirt extends out there to trail out behind you in a long train. I love how the fanbric there extends out from the back upper seam ... as you walk this creates this billowing feel behind you that is extraordinary. It is a work of art from one of the greatest designers of our time. The dress has its original hang tags in place and is in its original uncut length. Excellent condition.

Fully lined in black silk satin through the bust and black silk chiffon through the skirt. It closes with a hidden set zipper at the back. The interior bust is shaped and lightly boned at the sides. Original tags attached. Tagged a McQueen 38.

Bust: to 17" flat across from side seam to side seam
Seam under bust: 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Natural waist-hips: open
Bodice: 10.5" from shoulder to seam under bust
Length: approx 60" from shoulder to shortest point of the front hem, approx 90" to the longest point of the back hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# DD3473

Reference Photos: (1-2) F/W 2008 Alexander McQueen Runway Collection (Look 7 & Look 27).

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.

This spectacular Alexander McQueen dress is from the Pre-fall 2016 collection. The presentation version was far more elaborate but I think I prefer this one. It allows you to really see the pattern on the lace and I think can be worn to more functions with its simpler more versatile feel. Vogue's Sarah Mower said in part of this collection; 'There’s a sensuous glamour emerging through Pre-Fall which seems to be hovering somewhere around the ’30s or ’40s. Sarah Burton has pinned it to a theme she called “thinking about a woman’s obsession with the possessions she treasures, like her jewelry and makeup, and the things she collects.” This Pre-Fall character is a properly elegant woman, with red lipstick and a penchant for feather chubbies and velvet ankle-strap platforms, who might reach into her extensive wardrobe and choose between any number of fragile, dramatic gowns for an evening out.' and the lace butterfly dresses were mentioned specifically; 'Well, it’s a delight when fashion can make you fantasize for a moment. Yet the fact is that Sarah Burton has steered this collection gently away from too much stylization. “It's quite feminine, and unconstructed,” is the way she puts it. The patterns of lipsticks, Fabergé eggs, butterflies, birds, and the McQueen skull motif appear as prints on silk dresses and on coats, as well as on the show-stopping embroidered sheer gowns.'

The dress is almost startling in its beauty. It is made from an inner taupey nude silk that acts as the backdrop for the black net lace that sits over it. This allows you to fully appreciate the pattern that is worked through the lace. From a distance it acts as an illusion that you are bare under the lace. The lace itself has large butterflies worked through it that are beautiful. Every line of the dress is perfection. It falls from the shoulder to follow the curve of your body. Seams worked through the dress create the shape that you see but they have taken great care to line up the pattern of the lace along each seam so that your eye is not broken and the pattern remains true as it trails across the dress. From the waist is falls in one long sheath to the floor widening out gently as it reaches the hem. At the back it has a large curved cut out that leaves you entire back bare and exposed. So when you walk away it has a very sensual and sexy feel. The sleeves are the final touch and they are fantastic. Each is unlined so that you see bare skin through the lace. They are cut high and peaked at the top of the shoulder with a little bit of tulle at the inner edge to hold their shape. It is spectacular and a wonderful example of Sarah's earlier work. It is a wonderful dress now and will be a collectible in the future. Excellent condition

Fully lined in silk as described above and closes with a low set hidden zipper at the back. Three button and loops behind the neck. Each cuff zippers to close. Tagged a modern McQueen 42. 

Sleeves: 25"
Inset shoulders: 13" with natural shoulders approx 15"
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 58" from neck to hem
Neck: 14" around

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED

Item# DD3964

Reference Photo: Pre-Fall 2016 Alexander McQueen Collection, Look 33.

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.