The fashion world has gained clarity with the announcement of Sarah Burton as the new creative director of Givenchy.
Her appointment, made public on Monday, marks her as the eighth person to lead the iconic French fashion house.
This decision comes at a time when both LVMH and Kering have faced criticism for having a lack of female creative directors at major luxury fashion labels. From this angle, her appointment is seen as a positive step forward, although there are indications that her vision may be influenced by the house’s rich history.
Burton’s debut collection for Givenchy is scheduled for March next year. For those familiar with fashion history, her move to Givenchy serves as a tribute to her mentor, Alexander McQueen, who was the creative director at Givenchy from 1996 to 2001. Burton has spent much of her career closely associated with McQueen, having started as an intern under him in 1996. She was a full-time employee at the McQueen label while he split his time between both houses.
Decades after McQueen’s tenure, Burton’s appointment is less controversial than his was when he took the role at just 27, challenging the norms of couture. While McQueen faced a lukewarm reception at the time, his 18 collections have since redefined the history of Givenchy and influenced many of Burton’s own designs.
Unlike McQueen, who famously stated he had “no respect” for Givenchy’s founder and took the role purely out of love for fashion, Burton brings a deep respect for the house’s legacy and the talent to guide it into the future. In her statement, she expressed excitement about writing the next chapter for Givenchy, describing the brand as a “jewel” and emphasizing her intent to bring her own vision and sensibility to the house.
However, it’s important to note that Burton does not directly succeed McQueen but rather Matthew Williams, who led Givenchy for three years before his departure in January. Williams aimed to attract a younger audience, particularly Gen Z, a strategy reminiscent of Riccardo Tisci’s successful tenure from 2005 to 2017, which aligned with the rise of social media and streetwear.
When Tisci joined Givenchy, the brand was struggling after a series of rapid leadership changes, a situation that echoes the current challenges. In 2011, Marco Gobbetti, then Givenchy’s CEO, described the brand as “a mess without an identity.” Tisci revitalized the label, a task that now falls to Burton.
While Tisci’s artistic approach may seem different from Burton’s, both share a dark romanticism that often incorporates religious themes and a subversion of traditional beauty. Burton and her predecessor, Clare Waight Keller, also share a talent for blending masculine and feminine elements on the runway. Waight Keller aimed to return the brand to a more mature audience, infusing it with a sense of magical realism drawn from the Hubert de Givenchy archive.
Burton’s work at McQueen has allowed her to develop and reinterpret the symbols established by McQueen while infusing her own style. Her designs often possess a dreamlike quality, but she has gradually shifted towards more wearable fashion, moving away from a strict focus on storytelling.
As Burton prepares to unveil her vision for Givenchy, it will be intriguing to see how she balances tradition with avant-garde elements. One thing is clear: Givenchy has chosen a path focused on tailoring, craftsmanship, and vision rather than merely chasing trends.
