Sarah Burton To Depart Alexander McQueen After Almost Three Decades
The British designer left her mark on the luxury brand, and well beyond.
Sarah Burton has announced her departure from Alexander McQueen after almost three decades of working with the brand. She spent 14 years serving as the creative director and Lee Alexander McQueen‘s successor following his passing.
Burton’s last show will be the upcoming presentation during Paris Fashion week on September 30, according to luxury conglomerate Kering, the owner of the brand.
Kering announced Burton’s exit from the brand on Monday.
“We would like to express our immense gratitude to Sarah for writing such an important chapter in the history of the Alexander McQueen House. Sarah’s contribution over the past 26 years will leave an indelible mark,” said Alexander McQueen’s chief executive, Gianfilippo Testa, in a statement. Testa said Burton‘s successor would be announced “in due course”.
Burton’s legacy at the house is inextricably tied to Lee McQueen, who she worked with closely until his death in 2010. She started with the brand in 1996 on a placement while studying at Central Saint Martins in London. After finishing her degree, she resumed her work with the house. Just two years later, Burton was named head of womenswear design in 2000, working with McQueen for a decade before his death.
This close relationship gave Burton the knowledge of both McQueen‘s craft and vision to successfully steer the brand into a new era, and while her expressions of his vision were quieter than McQueen’s, she expertly walked the line between tributing one of the greats and carving out a fresh perspective for the house. She famously created the Princess of Wales’ wedding dress for her wedding to Prince William in 2011.
There was a sense of everyday elegance that Burton imparted into McQueen. Her efforts with refined tailoring, asymmetric evening wear, and a penchant for the perfect biker jacket cemented this sentiment.
“I am so proud of everything I’ve done and my incredible team at Alexander McQueen. They are my family, and this has been my home for the past 26 years,” Burton said in a statement. “I want to thank Francois-Henri Pinault for believing in me and offering me this amazing opportunity. Above all, I want to thank Lee Alexander McQueen. He taught me so much and I am eternally grateful to him. I am looking forward to the future and the next chapter and will always carry this treasured time with me.”
Kering chairman and chief executive François-Henri Pinault said in a statement: “I am immensely grateful to Sarah, and I want to personally thank her for her work over the past two decades, first alongside Lee Alexander McQueen, where her role was instrumental to his success, and then as the creative director since 2010. Through her own experience, sensitivity and talent, Sarah continued to evolve the artistic expression of this iconic house. She kept and continued Lee’s heritage, attention to detail and unique vision, while adding her own personal, highly creative touch.”
With Sabato De Sarno‘s Gucci debut on the horizon, all eyes are now on Kering to see what the luxury conglomerate’s next move will be with Alexander McQueen, and beyond.
This story originally appeared onvogue.com.au