Sarah Burton is stepping down as Alexander McQueens creative director

Sarah Burton is stepping down from the house of Alexander McQueen. After Lee McQueen passed away in 2010, Burton was quickly declared the heir apparent for the label. Burton been a quiet creative director for 13 years, rarely giving interviews or responding to criticism or compliments. Personally, I never thought that Burton really carried on McQueen’s vision, but she stabilized the brand and made it more palatable to a larger swath of consumers. I also hate that this news is being framed as “Princess Kate’s wedding dress designer is retiring.”

The designer behind the Princess of Wales’s wedding dress has announced she is stepping down as creative director of fashion house Alexander McQueen after 13 years, prompting speculation she may set up her own label.

Sarah Burton has dressed the Princess throughout the most significant moments in her royal life – from her historic 2011 wedding dress, to the red chiffon gown she wore in her 40th birthday portraits in 2022 – and fashion industry insiders think she may now set up her own namesake brand creating private orders for the royal.

Burton had worked under the label’s founder, Lee McQueen, for more than 14 years before his untimely death in February 2010, and was appointed as his successor that May. She is credited for successfully continuing his design legacy, adapting the house’s darkly romantic codes to suit a new generation of fans – including bringing in the Princess as a star client.

[From The Telegraph]

The story, within the fashion industry, is not “will Sarah Burton start her own label,” it’s “wtf is going on at Kering?” Kering is the massive fashion/fragrance conglomerate which wholly owns the McQueen label and wholly or partly owns dozens of other labels, plus major fragrance lines. Kering is doing a major house-cleaning across many of its best-known brands, and that’s what this looks like – like Burton was forced out by Kering as part of a move to make all of Kering’s brands more profitable and palatable to modern consumers. Which is actually bad news for McQueen’s biggest client, the Princess of Wales. Kate often used Burton as her personal atelier, all to make ridiculous button-covered coat dresses and Downton Abbey cosplay. Kering is like: yeah, that sh-t isn’t profitable long-term, and we need to shake up the brand so “McQueen” won’t be synonymous with this dated, frumpy Keen Kate-style.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, WENN, Backgrid.

Date: 13/12/12 PH: Hannah McKay Pictured: Sarah Burton Caption: Investiture ceremony takes place at Buckingham Palace today. Recipients included, Sarah Burton, creative director for Alexander McQueen who received an OBE for services to the British Fashion Industry.,Image: 546920815, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 917 704 9816 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon

Sarah Burton attends the HaITer’s Bazaar Woman Of The Year Awards at Claridge’s Hotel, London, England, UK on Tuesday 4th November, 2014.,Image: 554851530, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon

Handout photo issued by Clarence House of The Bride and Groom in the throne room at Buckingham Palace, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after their wedding. . Picture date: Friday April 29, 2011. Wedding. Photo credit should read: Hugo Burnand/Clarence House NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. NO MERCHANDISE OR COMMERCIAL USE

Handout photo issued by Clarence House of The Bride and Groom in the throne room at Buckingham Palace, TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the centre with attendants, (clockwise from bottom right) The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Miss Eliza Lopes, Miss Grace van Cutsem, Lady Louise Windsor, Master Tom Pettifer, Master William Lowther-Pinkerton. . Picture date: Friday April 29, 2011. Wedding. Photo credit should read: Hugo Burnand/Clarence House NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. NO MERCHANDISE OR COMMERCIAL USE

London, UNITED KINGDOM – The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Alexandra Palace for the Earthshot Prize in London. Pictured: Prince William, Catherine Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton BACKGRID USA 17 OCTOBER 2021 BYLINE MUST READ: JOHN RAINFORD / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

London, UNITED KINGDOM – The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the BAFTA Film Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK. Pictured: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince of Wales BACKGRID USA 19 FEBRUARY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*

Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge The Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton – Parliament SquareDepartures London, England – 29.04.11 Featuring: Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge Where: London, United Kingdom When: 29 Apr 2011 Credit: WENN

The Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge Westminster Abbey, London. London, England – 29.04.11 Where: London, United Kingdom When: 29 Apr 2011 Credit: WENN **Only available for publication in UK, USA**

This image is embargoed to 0001 Friday July 22 for Print Media, all other Broadcast and online media the image is embargoed to 0600 Friday July 22. The Duchess of Cambridges wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, before it goes on display at Buckingham Palace, London, during the annual summer opening. The Duchess of Cambridge’s intricately decorated wedding dress, designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, received a rapturous reception. For months, it was fashion’s best-kept secret. Even the team of embroiderers at Hampton Court Palace working on the gown did not know the identity of the designer until shortly before the public announcement. But as soon as the Duchess appeared leaving the Goring Hotel and then entering Westminster Abbey on her wedding day on April 29, the secret was out. The bridal gown featured lace appliqué floral detail and was made of ivory and white satin gazar, with a skirt that resembled “an opening flower” with white satin gazar arches and pleats. Its train measured just 9ft – modest in comparison with many previous royal brides. The lace appliqué for the bodice and skirt was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework. Individual flowers were hand-cut from lace and hand-engineered on to ivory silk-tulle.

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Sarah Burton is stepping down as Alexander McQueens creative director