taking on the position of creative director at Givenchy, Sarah continues to push fashion boundaries, shaping the creative direction principle of all Givenchy collec- tions, for both women and men. “It is a great honour to be joining the beautiful house of Givenchy, it is a jewel,” Burton said on this occasion. “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.” If you thought this was just another of the many “fashion transfers” between luxury brands, which seri- ously rival those of professional football when it comes to spectacle and contract price tags - this time it’s much more. With her arrival at Givenchy, Burton will boost the small number of female creative directors at lead- ing luxury brands. Her departure from McQueen last year left her future in fashion in doubt and sparked debate over the lack of female leaders in top positions in the industry. Aside from this, her appointment at Givenchy al- so means that she’s once again following in the foot- steps of her late mentor and friend: Alexander head- ed Givenchy between 1996 and 2001, following brand founder Hubert de Givenchy’s 1995 retirement. As a woman who succeeded in breaking the glass ceiling to head a fashion house in an industry that con- tinues to be dominated by men, Sarah helped develop the Alexander McQueen name from a brand that was a favourite among avid fans of fashion to a contem- porary force of the luxury market. Her collections for men and women, as well as her accessories collections, combined craftsmanship (her pieces often featured dramatic embroidery and other elaborate additions) with the kind of dark glamour and sharp tailoring that were favoured by her former boss, friend and mentor. Within a year of succeeding McQueen as the brand’s creative director, Sarah had designed the ivory-colour- ed lace wedding gown for Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, that would become more famous than all of the dresses that had been designed by Alexander himself. Burton remained the princess’s designer of choice for major events, including Prince Harry’s 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle and last year’s funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. In this era of celebrity designers who embody the lifestyles represented by their brands, Burton is known as a hard worker from the shadows. Back at McQueen’s studio, she was still designing using tailor’s dummies, as is dictated by the couture tradition. Her highly aes- theticised summarising of various themes and elements into a progressive vision of femininity perfectly suits the creative ethos of the great Hubert de Givenchy, who famously said: “Like in great painting and archi- tecture, in couture, to make clothes you must elimi- nate, eliminate, eliminate to obtain the true sense of a line. You see, the more you add, the more you load on, the more it's mad. You must try to have just the silhouette, which is an intelligence in clothes”.
FROM MCQUEEN TO GIVENCHY Sarah Burton changes the rules of the game In taking on the position of creative director at Givenchy, Burton continues to push fashion boundaries, bringing a vision that promises an exciting new chapter in the history of this French bastion of chic S arah Burton, one of the most highly rated con- temporary designers, left her own indelible mark on the fashion world during her time at the famous Alexander McQueen fashion house. Taking the helm of the brand in the wake of the founder’s tragic demise, Burton continued shaping the legacy of his fashion house, deftly balanc- ing dark glamour and sophisticated femininity. In now
68 | Moda » Fashion
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