British designer Alexander McQueen seems to be, surprisingly, going mainstream. Though he designs stunning clothing that a fashion blogger can only dream of wearing, you don’t expect to see McQueen-wearing-women roaming the halls of a government agency or in line at Trader Joe’s with mac-n-cheese and Two-Buck Chuck.

Look at the runway stills–or better yet, video footage of his mesmerizing runway shows. His Fall 2008 collection featured dark, flouncy skirts paired with Victorian-style tuxedo jackets and brocade blazers, leather leggings and spiky boots, dramatic ruffles spilling out of the necklines against the pale, ghostlike models walking to music that was part haunted house, part royal ball. His Spring 2009 collection included more color, yet maintained the eccentric, structured silhouettes and Gothic inspiration. It’s beautiful clothing, yet not exactly Dunder-Mifflin-appropriate clothing. Or is it?

Alexander McQueen Fall 2008

Alexander McQueen Spring 2009

Today the wondrous Gilt Groupe opened an Alexander McQueen sale and the goods are going fast. Why buy that outfit in the window of the Ann Taylor near your office (and look like 71.6% of women in D.C.) when you could buy an Alexander McQueen item for the same price? Maybe a bit more. I mean, why buy this $228 Ann Taylor blazer:

when you could buy this:

Alexander McQueen Enamel Button Tuxedo Jacket, $278 on Gilt ($1,380 retail).
Notice the shoulder details, the silk lapel, the perfect slim fit…

Even better than Gilt, Alexander McQueen for Target (yeah, you heard me) will debut on February 14th in New York City at the St. John’s Center at 330 Washington St. Two weeks later, the collection will be available to the rest of the country. New York Times fashion writer Eric Wilson opined as to whether or not Middle America will go for clothes that “look a bit like something Debbie Harry would wear to the grocery store, meaning zippered black tights, slinky T-shirt dresses in hot pink and black tiger stripes and shirtdresses with a tattoo print.” While the Target line is a little more high school than high fashion, McQueen nonetheless designs gorgeous clothing that, without the Gothic backdrop, is quite wearable. If the Target line is good quality, I predict it will be snatched up.

Maybe we will soon see McQueen-wearing-women in line at Trader Joe’s–or at least at the trendy bars on U Street.