Alexander Mcqueen’s personal wardrobe goes on sale

Kerry Taylor Auctions in London is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading salesrooms specialising in rare and historic fashion. The auction house focuses exclusively on vintage couture, designer fashion, and exceptional garments, with many lots achieving five-figure sums, and occasionally even six.

Among the most sought-after pieces are creations by Alexander McQueen, particularly those designed by the late, eponymous founder himself. His theatrical, boundary-pushing designs consistently generate global interest among collectors and institutions.

One of the most famous examples came in 2019, when a pair of McQueen’s iconic ‘Armadillo’ boots from his Plato’s Atlantis Spring/Summer 2010 collection sold for £60,000, rumoured to have been bought by Lady Gaga.

On March 10, the auction house will present a more focused sale dedicated to rare menswear, including 21 pieces from Lee McQueen’s personal wardrobe. The selection spans sharply tailored suits by Gucci, Margiela and Prada, as well as rarities by Vivienne Westwood – including pieces from her legendary Seditionaries boutique and some extraordinary knitwear finds – alongside a selection of his much-loved trainers. For example, a pair grey pony skin and blue suede Nike Terminator High Supremes lined with faux fur are sure to excite sneakerheads.

Menswear sales devoted to collectible fashion remain rare, making the event something of a milestone. As Director and Auctioneer Alex Baddeley explains, “Men haven’t typically been well served in fashion auctions. We were among the first houses to stage dedicated menswear sales beyond the draw of celebrity wardrobes.” Baddeley, who began his career in the contemporary art department at Sotheby's in London and New York, notes the breadth of the offering: “The earliest piece in the sale is a green silk waistcoat dating from 1770. From there, we move through to a menswear Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld piece from his 2016 Métiers d’Art show, and garments by Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton.”

Baddeley introduced “The Male Sale” as a recurring event at Kerry Taylor Auctions, and this edition casts its net wide. Among the highlights are 63 lots by Austrian designer Carol Christian Poell, all from a single private collector. One of fashion’s most elusive figures, Poell has cultivated a near-cult status among aficionados. He is renowned for avant-garde footwear and artisanal ready-to-wear crafted from experimental materials and treated leathers that evoke a distinctly gothic sensibility. Assembled largely by hand, his pieces are textural, distressed and sculptural, probing the boundaries between beauty and horror.

“There’s something unsettling about Carol Christian Poell’s designs,” says Baddeley. “The way he treats leather can make it appear almost skin-like, the stitching reminiscent of sutures. They are so rare and hard to come by. In fact, one collector told me that there are only 10 clients in the whole of the UK, so they really they are like art objects. There’s a tragic brilliance to them that echoes McQueen’s work, something you saw so powerfully on the runway." It's no wonder that McQueen was a fan too: among his 21 lots are a pair of Carol Christian Poell grey leather pointed boots, with side zips extending all the way to the soles.

Another standout piece from the late British designer’s wardrobe is a striking white double-breasted suit by Tom Ford for Gucci’s Spring–Summer 2003 collection. McQueen wore it to accept his International Award at the 2003 CFDA Awards in New York, cementing his place in fashion history. He later rewore the suit for his Autumn–Winter 2004–05 “Pantheon as Lecum” show, where he was photographed backstage with his close friend Kate Moss, she holding a glass of wine and a cigarette, perhaps accounting for the faint burns visible on the jacket’s white cuff. Far from detracting from the garment, these marks are a kind of label-defining hallmark, underscoring the glamour, mischief and creative freedom that defined McQueen’s life and aesthetic vision. "It's rare that a condition report that includes faults actually adds to the allure of a piece!" laughs Baddeley.

Another label close to Baddeley’s heart is Paul Harnden, who began his career as a shoemaker before moving into meticulously crafted, handmade clothing. His work is steeped in Victoriana, blending a romantic, bucolic spirit with a subtly distressed, modern edge. Each fabric is woven on handlooms exclusively for the designer, underscoring the rarity and uniqueness of his practice. The ultimate niche designer, famously worn by John Galliano, Harnden’s pieces are released in small drops through highly specialised boutiques, such as the Blue Mountain School in East London.

Among the eight Harnden lots on offer is a single ensemble: a brown waxed cotton coat layered over a green tweed jacket and an ivory cotton button-down shirt, paired with a grey lambswool–cashmere rib-knit cardigan and completed with brown leather gloves. The look channels a hardy, rugged strain of workwear, timeless in construction and evocative of a bygone era.

As for the Alexander McQueen headline pieces, Baddeley explains, they offer a fascinating window into the designer’s personal journey through the fashion industry. “In the 1990s, he had a slightly larger physique and dressed casually in plaid shirts and trainers. Coming from a working-class background, he gradually entered the world of luxury, and you can trace this evolution through his wardrobe. By the 2000s, his choices became sharper and more tailored reflecting his own background as a tailor on Saville Row, with carefully selected pieces by Gucci, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Hermès."

Lot 134 is something truly special: a black-and-white photograph of Lee McQueen by Craig McDean, taken in 2002. McQueen is captured walking with his hands tucked into his jean pockets, a cigarette perched in his mouth, the background a wire fence lending the shot a raw industrial edge. “I think this is a touching image of a man deep in thought,” says Baddeley, “pensive, yet marked with quiet determination.”

The Male Sale takes place on March 10th at 14:00. Register to bid.