Sarah Burton, known to many as the designer behind Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, has been announced as the new creative director of Givenchy, the design house behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress.
The 50-year-old artist worked as a creative designer for Alexander McQueen for 26 years, including 13 years as his creative director.
Sarah took over the role in 2010 following the death of founder Lee Alexander McQueen.
According Vogue BusinessIndustry estimates suggest it helped boost Kering brand sales to around €830 million by 2022.
His final collection for the British design house came in spring/summer 2024, after which he became a free agent.
Fashion designer Sarah Burton (pictured in London in April) is the new creative director of fashion house Givenchy
The designer worked at Alexander McQueen for 26 years, 13 of them as creative director, during which she designed the wedding dress of the now Princess of Wales (Prince William and Princess of Wales on their wedding day in April 2011).
The event was described as emotional, with a standing ovation and many tears.
After leaving McQueen, his next step was highly anticipated.
Last December it was revealed that Matthew Williams would be stepping down as creative director of Givenchy. No successor has been named.
Meanwhile, he turned his attention back to his 1017 Alyx 9SM brand.
Following Matthew’s three-year tenure at LVMH-owned Givenchy, his studio team led the design process while a search was underway for a new creative director.
It has now been announced that Sarah Burton, who described Givenchy as a “jewel”, will take the helm and be responsible for all women’s and men’s collections.
Speaking about the role, which will take effect immediately, Sarah said: ‘It’s a huge honour to be joining the beautiful house of Givenchy, it’s a gem.
‘I am very excited to be able to write the next chapter in the history of this iconic house and bring my own vision, sensibility and beliefs to Givenchy.’
Clare Waight Keller, former creative director of Givenchy, was the designer of Meghan Markle’s wedding dress (pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at their wedding in Windsor in May 2018)
Sidney Toledano, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Givenchy, added: “Sarah Burton is an exceptional creative talent whose work I have followed with passion for many years.
‘His unique vision and approach to fashion will be invaluable to this iconic house, known for its boldness and haute couture.
“I am convinced that his creative leadership will contribute to the future success and international prestige of the house.”
In July, another new hire, Alessandro Valenti, became CEO of Givenchy.
Describing Sarah Burton’s arrival as our creative director as “a very exciting moment for Givenchy,” Alessandro added that her “remarkable career path and creative vision have already earned her a broad following.”
He said: ‘WWe are confident that under his leadership, Givenchy will continue to innovate and captivate a wide audience around the world.
“I look forward to the new creative energy that Sarah will bring as she works alongside our excellent teams in our exceptional ateliers as we embark on this new chapter in the Givenchy story.”
Sarah’s new role makes her the perfect woman to fill the role of creative director at an LVMH house.
His predecessors include Alexander McQueen, who held the position from 1996 to 2000.
As the second woman to lead design at Givenchy, Sarah succeeds Clare Waight Keller.
Clare, who was creative director from 2017 to 2020, is known to many as the designer behind Meghan Markle’s wedding dress during her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.
She spoke about the dress during the couple’s 2022 Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, appearing in episode four.
During the episode, Clare said the minimalist silk gown, devoid of lace or any other embellishments, had to be “flawless.”
She said: ‘Looking at the design of the dress, there were a lot of conversations about how you want to present yourself to the world.
‘Most of us have a wedding with between 70 and 100 people.
‘Billions of people saw this.
“It has to be impeccable, it has to be perfect.”
Sarah Burton will present her first collection for Givenchy in March 2025.
