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Alexander McQueen Bead Sequin Crystal Draped Plunging Goddess Mini Dress ss 2006

Name: Alexander McQueen Bead Sequin Crystal Draped Plunging Goddess Mini Dress ss 2006
Brand: Alexander McQueen
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)

About the Item

Among the Greek-goddess-like Delphos-draped mini dresses that Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) designed for his first haute-couture Givenchy collection in 1997 and later for his eponymous "Neptune" 2006 spring/summer collection, this semi-transparent reflective black jersey gown with a silk under-skirt is uniquely draped in five places over a shirred high waist so that its bias-cut fabric deeply plunges in front, under the arms, and under each shoulder blade. The five ruched ends around the neckline hang from a stunning hand-embroidered faux-topaz jeweled, gold-metal sequined and bronze-tube beaded geometric halter that is lined with grosgrain ribbon. See our snapshots of his similar draped, ruched and embellished mini dresses from the same "Neptune" collection as ours, both on his runway and on mannequins in his 2022 museum retrospective, along with a white couture one with a gold corset famously worn by Naomi Campbell on his Givenchy runway. Notably for his "Neptune" show that featured 56 ensembles, McQueen staged its final looks with those Spartan-style short dresses that featured contrasting luxurious embroidery and dramatic necklines. Further indicating the importance of these designs in fashion history and their increasing value, Look 56 sold at a 2020 British auction for 6,875 pounds (US $9,176), whereafter several "Neptune" mini-dresses were prominently displayed at his LACMA exhibit, "Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos and Muse". Subsequently, another of the jersey embellished mini dresses in our snapshots sold on 1stDibs for $21,875, while more runway-documented 1stDibs listings from "Neptune" are now priced by a London dealer at more than twice as much. According to McQueen's statements during Paris Fashion Week interviews, "Neptune" paid homage to sexy glamorous fashion from the 1980s that was led by Gianni Versace and Azzedine Alaia, who were also inspired by revealing classical Greek clothing. Said McQueen, "What do I do best? Sexy tailoring, sexy clothes." Our sexy dress in particular recalls museum-collected marble statues of mostly bare women representing Greek mythology, such as our photo of one depicting an Amazon warrior who wears a similarly draping chiton. While the McQueen grey "made-in-Italy" brand label and size tag with white text that match those from the S/S 2006 collection remain, the sole owner removed the white production tag that may have been noticeable when worn. To show the material embellishment connection to "Neptune", we found a fashion-show backstage closeup photo of one of the unique gladiator boots worn on that season's runway, whose hand-sewn crystals, feather-like sequins and metal bugle beads match those on our dress that was not modeled on the runway. The dress is in very good condition. On close inspection of the sheer jersey fabric when held away from the silk-crepe underlay, we found several pulled threads that appear as miniature black lines, which do not create a snag, ripple, void or construction issue in the tightly-knit fabric. Given the multitude of draped folds whose shadows further darken the black dress, they are not apparent when worn. Some of our photos show the dress as dark as it appears with photography lighting, while we edited a few to increase the light balance to 100% so that you can best see unnaturally-brightened details. Note that there are two photos of the left side of the dress, where we raised the draping on this side to show the shirred waistband with invisible side zipper and hook-and-eye fastener.

Designer:
Alexander McQueen
Brand:
Alexander McQueen
Dimensions:
Length: 37 in (93.98 cm)Marked Size: 38 (EU)Waist: 27 in (68.58 cm)
Style:
Delphos Spartan ancient Greece (In the Style Of)
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
2000-2009
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Chicago, IL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU3244228762342

Shop All Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen

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.