As Sarah Burton leaves Alexander McQueen, an expert explores her legacy through five iconic designs
Sarah Burton, the creative director for Alexander McQueen, has announced that she is leaving the fashion house after two decades.
- Sarah Burton, the creative director for Alexander McQueen, has announced that she is leaving the fashion house after two decades.
- Burton, born in Macclesfield, initially joined McQueen in 1996 as a placement student, while studying at Central Saint Martins in London.
- During her 26 years at McQueen Burton has made a significant contribution to both the fashion industry and to the legacy of the fashion house.
1. Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, 2011
- The choice of designer remained a secret until the day of the wedding.
- Following the royal wedding, sales at Alexander McQueen reportedly increased by 29%.
- Burton herself has stated that while legacy can sometimes be seen as curse it is also a “wonderful opportunity for invention”.
2. Gisele Bündchen at the Met Gala, 2011
- Burton dressed Gisele Bündchen – a top supermodel of the 1990s and 2000s who often walked McQueen’s runway shows – for the Met Gala.
- In 2015, Forbes named Burton’s dress for Bündchen as one of the most unforgettable Met Gala dresses of all time.
3. Nicole Kidman at the Met Gala, 2016
- The theme for the 2016 gala was Manus X Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.
- Burton’s design for Nicole Kidman was an art deco-inspired celestial gown that had been adapted from the 2016 runway collection.
4. Lady Gaga, A Star is Born premiere, 2018
- Lady Gaga is well known for her eccentric approach to fashion and she was a great fan, and personal friend, of Lee Alexander McQueen.
- In 2018, Gaga wowed the crowds at the London Premiere to her Star is Born movie.
5. Lady Gaga, the Oscars, 2019
- Burton’s design had an exaggerated silhouette with padded hips and a long train, reflecting the designer’s skill for combining tailoring with drama.
- Gaga accessorised the McQueen gown with a 142-year-old Tiffany diamond, that had only been worn three times and was worth USD$30 million (£24 million).
- Burton’s departure from McQueen comes as the label’s parent company, the French luxury goods group Kering SA, is restructuring.