(Paris) British fashion designer Alexander McQueen and his artistic director, stylist Sarah Burton, announced on Monday “the end of their collaboration” which began more than 20 years ago, in a press release published by the luxury giant Kering, owner of the brand.
The 49-year-old British designer, who took over the reins of the Alexander McQueen house in 2010 after the suicide of its founder Lee Alexander McQueen, distinguished herself the following year by designing Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, the wife of Prince William.
Before that, she worked alongside her mentor for more than 14 years, first as an intern in 1996, then in 2000 as head of women’s collections for the house founded in 1992.
“The Spring-Summer 24 fashion show, which will take place in Paris in September, will conclude” this partnership, the press release said, specifying that “a new creative organization” will be “announced in due course.”
“I am very proud of everything I have achieved and of my incredible team at Alexander McQueen,” said Sarah Burton, quoted in the press release.
Thanking the CEO of Kering (Gucci, Saint Laurent, etc.) François-Henri Pinault “for believing” in her, the designer wanted to express her gratitude to Lee Alexander McQueen, saying she was “impatient to open a new chapter”.
Sarah Burton “perpetuated Lee’s legacy, his attention to detail and his unique vision, while bringing her personal and highly creative touch”, for her part praised François-Henri Pinault.
His mark “will leave an indelible mark,” said Gianfilippo Testa, chief executive of Alexander McQueen.
The departure of Sarah Burton is part of a complicated context for the Kering group.
Although it does not detail Alexander McQueen’s turnover, the luxury giant announced in July a 10% drop in its first-half net profit, to 1.79 billion euros, affected by its brand flagship, Gucci, whose sales are down 1%.
Gucci’s CEO since 2015, Marco Bizzarri, will leave the group on September 23, almost a year after the announcement of the departure of its artistic director Alessandro Michele.
