Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) A Matador Coat, Dante Collection, Autumn/Winter 1996

Alexander McQueen (1969-2010) A Matador Coat, Dante Collection, Autumn/Winter 1996 Runway look 30 Black felted wool and cashmere blend with gold bullion military cord trim, with asymmetrical scalloped tailcoat, white Alexander McQueen and lock of hair label Approximate measurements 32' shoulders, 24' waist, 125cm overall length Footnotes: This piece has been consigned by mentor and manufacturer, Eva D'Arche, who worked for Alexander McQueen during his SS96 AW96 Collections. She writes, 'I met McQueen in his first studio in a dark basement in Hoxton Square. The space was vast, divided by massive white sheets to create separate rooms. I worked on two of his collections, of which the Matador jacket was one of the pieces. The collection was displayed in the Liberty windows during fashion week. McQueen was not only a talented, creative genius but also had an incredible knowledge of garment construction. He designed, created patterns and made all first prototypes by himself. His attention to detail was incredible. Working with him was so inspirational, and the jacket was a wonderful gift.' The Matador Coat is from Lee Alexander McQueen's career-defining 1996 collection, Dante. Inspired by the work, The Divine Comedy, by the 14th-century Florentine poet, writer, and philosopher, Dante Alighieri, the collection was McQueen's commentary on religion, war and innocence, and was dedicated to his long-time friend and muse, Isabella Blow. The runway show was staged in the Nicholas Hawksmoor designed Christ Church in Spitalfields, East London, on the 1st of March 1996. This was especially significant because of the collection's theme and McQueen's personal connections to the church. McQueen's mother, Joyce, an amateur genealogist, discovered that their family was descended from Huguenots who settled in the Spitalfields area, many of whom were baptised and buried in Christ Church. Regarding the setting, McQueen said at the time, 'I think religion has caused every war in the world, which is why I showed in a church.' To further emphasise the theme, McQueen had a skeleton sit front row during the show. A distinctive feature of this piece is the lock of hair enclosed in a clear plastic pocket beneath the label. This element, a signature of McQueen's early collections, draws inspiration from the memento mori tradition, in which hair was incorporated into jewellery and keepsakes. In a 1997 Time Out interview, McQueen explained that 'the inspiration behind the hair came from Victorian times when prostitutes would sell their hair for kits of hair locks, which people bought to give to their lovers. I used it as my signature label with locks of hair in Perspex. In the early collections, it was my own hair: it was about me giving myself to the collection.' The Matador Coat was worn on the runway first in London by Kristen McMenamy and then by Helena Christensen in New York. The striking piece was photographed by British photographer, Nick Knight, and styled by Katy England for the Spring 2015 issue of AnOther Magazine, in tribute to McQueen prior to the opening of the monumental exhibition, 'Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty' at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, in which an example of the Matador Coat was featured. Most recently, actress Laverne Cox wore an example to the 2024 SAG Awards. It is a testament to McQueen's incredible tailoring skills, and reputedly only four were made, one for Isabella Blow, one was sold at Liberty London, and this example was kept by Eva D'Arche. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing