“I first discovered McQueen watching FTV [Fashion TV] cover his AW96 collection Dante. I was completely gobsmacked. It was one of those moments where the immediate shock of a creator hits all the right chords with their vision, and for me this was a deeply visceral connection.”
Soon after, John Matheson, the founder of @McQueen_Vault, a visual and social collage of Alexander McQueen’s life and legacy, began “collecting anything that had imagery of his work”. Ranging from magazine cut-outs, to newspaper clippings, to show invites, Matheson devoured it all.
It was after the death of his mother that Matheson sought a point of focus and began formally organising his collection of artefacts. “Arranging the materials, I could clearly see continual storylines and patterns that make his work endlessly explorable”. Shortly after, @McQueen_Vault was born.
As his influence grew, so too did his contacts and Matheson was lucky enough to be given some Alexander McQueen treasures. “Something I didn’t expect was having the honour to speak to and meet many of the McQueen family, friends and creators who worked with Lee McQueen.”
The purpose behind the Instagram account, Matheson tells me, is because “I want to share and collect with the people that love this culture as much as I do”.
He continues, “for my collection, it has never been about having the most “valuable” piece, but instead a sample of a fabric that portrayed a collection’s mood, or a shoe that carried a silhouette – having an evocative library of the essence of his work. I get more inspired by a rare photograph with an unseen detail than a dress worn by someone famous. That feels like keeping the true McQueen legacy alive.”
As a collector, Matheson doesn’t stick to a particular resource to source his items. “But it’s very hard work,” he tells me. “Some places can be untrustworthy. Sourcing pieces has now become a battleground given the absolute bonkers re-sell/vintage clothing market.” The internet has given “archival clothing visibility on another level, like injecting it with steroids, with both good and not so good results.”
Since platforms like Depop and eBay have grown as havens for designer thrifts, and social media accounts documenting archival fashion collections have risen to prominence, “designer pieces are not only seen as cut-throat profitable commodities, but also targets to copy ideas of what has been created”.
Since McQueen’s death in 2010, a huge influx of attention has been paid to collecting his designs to resell.
As his influence grew, so too did his contacts and Matheson was lucky enough to be given some Alexander McQueen treasures. “Something I didn’t expect was having the honour to speak to and meet many of the McQueen family, friends and creators who worked with Lee McQueen.”
The purpose behind the Instagram account, Matheson tells me, is because “I want to share and collect with the people that love this culture as much as I do”.
He continues, “for my collection, it has never been about having the most “valuable” piece, but instead a sample of a fabric that portrayed a collection’s mood, or a shoe that carried a silhouette – having an evocative library of the essence of his work. I get more inspired by a rare photograph with an unseen detail than a dress worn by someone famous. That feels like keeping the true McQueen legacy alive.”
Unlike other archival collectors, Matheson is keen for certain pieces to stay in certain places for all the world to see, like at the Alexander McQueen London flagship. “Younger generations should have access to the work and be inspired by creators of the past,” he argues.
As a collector, Matheson doesn’t stick to a particular resource to source his items. “But it’s very hard work,” he tells me. “Some places can be untrustworthy. Sourcing pieces has now become a battleground given the absolute bonkers re-sell/vintage clothing market.” The internet has given “archival clothing visibility on another level, like injecting it with steroids, with both good and not so good results.”
Since platforms like Depop and eBay have grown as havens for designer thrifts, and social media accounts documenting archival fashion collections have risen to prominence, “designer pieces are not only seen as cut-throat profitable commodities, but also targets to copy ideas of what has been created”.
Since McQueen’s death in 2010, a huge influx of attention has been paid to collecting his designs to resell.
At the time of writing, a 1997 bumster La Poupée, gold dress with wear and tear is going for £1,500 on eBay. McQueen was famed for his construction methods and authentic pieces can be deciphered simply by studying the sewing. “It didn’t take long to start seeing threads and themes that ran consistently through his work. It is very exciting to connect stories across years and see their parallels.”
With a focus on the feeling behind a collection, Matheson is driven by the experimental and louder side to McQueen, noting Givenchy by McQueen AW98 the Blade Runner collection and AW06 The Widows of Culloden as two stand-out shows for this reason. “It makes for fewer ‘favourites’ versus flavours you crave at any given moment.”
As Matheson concludes, “Even if you may not have loved what he did, his creations made you respond, think and venture into ideas that might be uncomfortable or unsettling. It’s intriguing to watch the audience instead of the models when viewing his shows. Their range of reactions say it all.”
With a focus on the feeling behind a collection, Matheson is driven by the experimental and louder side to McQueen, noting Givenchy by McQueen AW98 the Blade Runner collection and AW06 The Widows of Culloden as two stand-out shows for this reason. “It makes for fewer ‘favourites’ versus flavours you crave at any given moment.”
As Matheson concludes, “Even if you may not have loved what he did, his creations made you respond, think and venture into ideas that might be uncomfortable or unsettling. It’s intriguing to watch the audience instead of the models when viewing his shows. Their range of reactions say it all.”
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