Sarah Burton, renowned for her work at Alexander McQueen, has been officially appointed as the new creative director of Givenchy. She steps into this role following the departure of Matthew Williams in January 2024, with her first collection set to debut during Paris Fashion Week in March 2025. Burton’s appointment is particularly notable as she becomes only the second female to hold this position at Givenchy, following Clare Waight Keller, who famously designed Meghan Markle’s wedding dress in 2018.
Burton’s career has been closely linked to Alexander McQueen, where she worked for 26 years and served as creative director for 13. Burton’s creative vision is deeply personal, often drawing on symbolic themes, as seen in her final collection for McQueen, which was inspired by female anatomy and dedicated to the late Lee Alexander McQueen.
Sidney Toledano, chairman of Givenchy’s board, expressed confidence in Burton’s ability to contribute to the brand’s future success, highlighting her “exceptional creative talent” and unique vision. Her arrival coincides with that of Alessandro Valenti, Givenchy’s new CEO, signaling a fresh chapter for the brand. Valenti, too, emphasized Burton’s role in bringing a new creative energy to the maison.
As the creative director of Givenchy, Sarah Burton follows in the footsteps of designers like Riccardo Tisci and John Galliano, but also of McQueen, who held the same position from 1996 to 2001. This appointment is a significant shift in leadership at Givenchy and adds Burton to the select group of female creative directors at LVMH, a list that includes Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior and Silvia Fendi at Fendi.
