Alexander McQueen Announces a New Creative Director
His resume includes stints at Dries Van Noten and JW Anderson—swoon.
Days after former Creative Director Sarah Burton’s emotional finale show for Alexander McQueen, Kering announces her successor: Seán McGirr. The designer previously served as Head of Ready-to-Wear at JW Anderson, a team he joined in 2020. His prior fashion homes include the role of Women’s Designer at Dries Van Noten, and a six-year stint in the creative offices at UNIQLO—a duration that included working on the men’s collections guided by Christophe Lemaire. A 2014 graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, McGirr originally hails from Dublin.
Lee Alexander McQueen launched his namesake label in 1992. Since his death in 2010, protegee Burton has served as Creative Director. Fitting into rather well designed shoes, Burton earned the trust of her predecessors’ loyal patrons. McGirr must face the vast gap left in the wake of her departure. To me, a cocktail of prior experience at Dries Van Noten, JW Anderson, UNIQLO, and Lemaire makes me want a sartorial sip. However, divorced from McGirr’s personal resume, Kering has already received complaints about the dominance of white males in leading creative roles—the major houses all lack diversity in creative director positions. I guess we will have to wait for next season to cast further judgment.