After months of speculation, it’s official: Sarah Burton is the next creative director of Givenchy, replacing Matthew M. Williams, who departed the post in January.
Burton, a press-shy Londoner with an artistic approach to tailoring who dressed royalty and rock stars during her 26 years at Alexander McQueen, said in a statement that it is a “great honor to be joining the beautiful house of Givenchy,” calling it a “jewel.” “I am so excited to be able to write the next chapter in the story of this iconic house and to bring to Givenchy my own vision, sensibility and beliefs,” Burton said.
The news comes almost exactly a year after Burton, 50, left Alexander McQueen, which she took over following the death of the brand’s namesake founder in 2010. “Sarah Burton is an exceptional creative talent whose work I have passionately followed for many years; I am very glad that she is joining Givenchy today,” said Givenchy board chairman Sidney Toledano. “Her unique vision and approach to fashion will be invaluable to this iconic maison, known for its audacity and haute couture. I am convinced that her creative leadership will contribute to the future success and international standing of the maison.”
The lengthy waiting period before Burton’s appointment heightened the stakes about which direction Givenchy would go. The name once synonymous with Audrey Hepburn entered the social media-era of fashion under the direction of Riccardo Tisci, who joined Givenchy in 2005 and fused streetwear codes with French luxury to dark and glamorous effect. Following Tisci’s departure in 2017, Clare Waight Keller cleared house, introducing a softer vision of masculinity in dreamy suiting. After three years, Keller was replaced by Williams, who pivoted Givenchy back toward hip-hop and nightlife. Though the 1017 Alyx 9SM founder’s heavy-duty reinterpretations of Gen-Z style had begun to connect, he, too, was gone after three years.
In Burton, LVMH and Givenchy have tapped an industry-beloved veteran who shies away from the limelight, letting her precise, lavishly-detailed collections speak for her. She is a masterful tailor, and at Alexander McQueen her poetic-punk suiting found a notable fan in Timothée Chalamet. But in Burton, Givenchy is placing its chips firmly on the side of beauty and creativity rather than hype and marketing wizardry. Already, fashion fans on social media have hailed the move.
Said Givenchy CEO Alessandro Valenti: “The arrival of Sarah Burton as head of our creative design is a very exciting moment for Givenchy. Her remarkable career path and creative vision have already won her a vast fan base, and we are certain that under her direction, Givenchy will continue to innovate and captivate an extensive audience across the world stage. I eagerly anticipate the new creative energy Sarah will bring as she works alongside our outstanding teams in our exceptional workshops and we embark on this new chapter in the history of Givenchy.”
Burton’s first show for Givenchy will be held in March at Paris Fashion Week.
