Alexander McQueen Announced Sarah Burton's Successor
Seán McGirr has a stacked CV.
Courtesy
Just days after Sarah Burton took her final bow for Alexander McQueen, the storied British fashion house announced that Irish designer Seán McGirr will be filling her formidable (and probably sky-high) shoes. In a statement released today, Gianfilippo Testa, the company's president and CEO, shared that he's excited to have McGirr at the helm of a brand known for its creativity and heritage.
"We are delighted to welcome Seán McGirr as Creative Director," Testa said. "With his experience, personality, and creative energy, he will bring a powerful creative language to Alexander McQueen while building on its unique heritage.”
François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of McQueen's parent company, Kering, reiterated the sentiment, assuring fans that the brand is one that remains front-of-mind as Burton moves on and the label enters a new era.
"Alexander McQueen is a House we are passionate about, and we are confident that Seán McGirr will be able to pursue its journey with a new creative impetus," Pinault added. "We look forward to opening this new chapter in the history of this unique brand."
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Alexander McQueen
Related: Sarah Burton Is Leaving Alexander McQueen After More Than Two Decades
McGirr is a graduate of London's venerable Central Saint Martins, where he earned a Master of Arts in Fashion in 2014. Previously, he was the head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson and a women's designer for Dries Van Noten in Antwerp. An interesting twist in his storied résumé is a position that he held from 2014 to 2018, when he was part of Uniqlo's creative offices in Tokyo and Paris working on the men’s collections from Christophe Lemaire and Uniqlo's U line. That could indicate a more commercial direction for McQueen, but fans of the brand won't find out until McGirr's first collection, which should arrive in 2024.
Sarah Burton joined Alexander McQueen full-time in 1997 and most notably designed Kate Middleton's wedding gown. Following Lee McQueen's death in Feb. 2010, she took on the role of creative director and it was announced earlier this year that the Spring Summer 2024 collection would be her last.
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