Kerry Taylor Auctions is proud to present The Male Sale, headlined by an extraordinary offering: twenty‑one garments from the personal wardrobe of Lee Alexander McQueen,
New Venue:
KTA at the Printworks
230 Long Ln
London SE1 4QA
Alexander McQueen’s impact on fashion and culture is profound, and the opportunity to offer pieces from his personal wardrobe is both exceptional and deeply significant. McQueen began his career as a tailor’s apprentice on London’s Savile Row, and the sharply cut silhouettes he mastered there remained central to the collections of his namesake label. It is especially meaningful, then, to offer a selection so richly comprised of suits and blazers; garments that reflect both his roots and his lifelong dedication to precision tailoring.
Renowned for his meticulous nature, McQueen chose what he wore with great discernment. Alongside pieces from his own house, his wardrobe included designs by some of the most celebrated names in fashion, among them Gucci by Tom Ford, Maison Martin Margiela, Prada, Hermès under Véronique Nichanian, Ralph Lauren, Helmut Lang, and Carol Christian Poell.
McQueen was photographed wearing several of these ensembles. Most notably, his white double‑breasted Gucci/Tom Ford suit from the Spring–Summer 2003 collection appears in multiple iconic images. He famously donned it to accept the “International Award” at the 2003 CFDA Awards in New York; an event dubbed “The Fashion Oscars” by Vogue. He later wore the suit during his Autumn–Winter 2004–05 “Pantheon as Lecum” show, both on the runway and backstage. In one memorable photograph, McQueen stands beside Kate Moss smoking a cigarette; the McQueen estate has confirmed that the small burn marks on the cuff were indeed caused by the British supermodel.
Fashion has always mirrored the culture it inhabits, but it is rare for it to reveal such intimate stories about a figure as celebrated yet enigmatic as Lee Alexander McQueen. This auction represents a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity to acquire a piece of contemporary cultural history and to honour the legacy of one of Britain’s most visionary designers.
Beyond the McQueen collection, The Male Sale features an exceptional range of rare and important menswear dating from 2020-1770.
We have on offer the largest collection of Carol Christian Poell ever presented at auction (63 lots). Poell is one of the most enigmatic and influential figures in avant‑garde menswear. His work is defined by radical material experimentation, uncompromising craftsmanship, and an almost total rejection of the conventional fashion system. He is known for pioneering techniques such as object‑dyeing and object-tanning, bonded seams, and highly experimental treatments of leather and textiles, approaches often described as surgical or anatomical in precision. Operating from near‑complete secrecy in his Milan studio, Poell releases work only on his own terms, cultivating a cult global following drawn to his rigorous philosophy, artisanal production, and deeply conceptual approach to clothing; making such a grand offering an incredibly rare opportunity.
Other important and radical designers include Vivienne Westwood and Malcom McLaren, whose rare early pieces from the SEX and Seditionaries boutiques in the 1970s mark a counterpoint to more modern designs from the 2010s and their revolutionary Witches and Notaslgia of Mud collections from the early 1980s
Harking from a similar era, we have three remarkable early works by Christopher Nemeth. Nemeth, one of the founding members of the influential House of Beauty and Culture in London’s Hackney, was incessantly experimental, and his designs blurred the line between couture and the DIY Club Kid aesthetic that was the height of fashion at the time. Few pieces sum this up more concisely than his c.1983 jacket formed of old Post Office letter sacks - an extraordinary marriage of artisanal craftsmanship and ready-made materials. Reflecting on the influence of Nemeth’s work, Kim Jones stated: “People with a highly developed sense of fashion love his work. Kate Moss loves Nemeth, Naomi Campbell was a Nemeth girl”.
And ever-popular in our menswear sales, the inimitable Jean Paul Gaultier is well represented from his most provocative era of the1980s-early 1990s. Included are two full ensembles from his Autumn-Winter 1994 ‘Grand Voyage’ showcase, which incorporate a dizzying array of cultural influences and layering to form a silhouette that is chic, comfortable to wear, and unmistakably Gaultier. Other notable pieces include an unashamedly sexy c.1991 see-through cage jacket, and an early ‘Pegasus’ weave blazer from 1984.
As ever, there are so many fashion grails in the sale that you have to see the catalogue in full to get a proper understanding of the breadth and quality of pieces on offer. This auction and viewing exhibition will be taking place in our new venue: ‘KTA at The Printworks’, which is just over the road from our HQ on Long Lane.
