Alexander Fury.
Photo: BJARNE X TAKATA
The Collectors: Alexander Fury
The British journalist has amassed a remarkable array of vintage fashion, including exceptional pieces by Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and John Galliano
It’s not every day that a young boy raised in rural northern England ends up with one of the most impressive vintage fashion collections of our time. Yet British journalist and author Alexander Fury has accumulated more than 3,000 historic and noteworthy pieces. Quietly acquired over many years, his treasures include designs by Antony Price, Vivienne Westwood, Azzedine Alaïa, Alexander McQueen, and Christian Lacroix, with the largest portion dedicated to John Galliano, mainly from 1991 to 2001, a span that encompasses his stints at Givenchy and Dior as well as his own label.
“A lot of these physical garments can confound your expectations,” he says. “You can appreciate the weight of something or how the seams have been designed to curve around the body. I also like to trace the threads of thought with what a designer was doing over the years.”
Vivienne Westwood. Photo: JOSEPH LARKOWSKY
“A lot of these physical garments can confound your expectations”
Alexander Fury
Kate Moss on a 1995 runway. Photo: ARNAL/PICOT/GAMMA-RAPHO VIA GETTY IMAGES
First acquisition: “It all started with Antony Price, an underground cult designer whom I chose to do my university thesis on. I bought two dresses by him on eBay for around ten pounds each; that was the first time I had wanted something without the intention to wear it. I continue to collect his work.”
John Galliano for Christian Dior. Photo: BAKER & EVANS
Runway ready: “I focus on catwalk pieces. I’m not interested in the watered-down version that was adjusted for retail. I want the pure version of a designer’s vision. I also like there to be a rarity or scarcity. You can trace them back and see if they were shot for magazines or ordered by clients. They have provenance and stories.”
Velvet ‘Stature of Liberty’ corset with gold Boulle print by Vivienne Westwood, ‘Dressing Up’ AW91. Photo: Joseph Larkowsky
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Late Fall Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Alexander Fury.
Photo: BJARNE X TAKATA
