Not even an hour after Calvin Klein confirmed Veronica Leoni’s exit, comes news of another major designer departure: On Thursday, Alexander McQueen announced that Seán McGirr is leaving his creative director position. The House will announce its new creative leadership “soon,” according to the press release.
“My vision for Alexander McQueen was grounded in the interplay between raw, visceral, human beauty and the precision and rigor at the heart of the House,” McGirr said in a press statement. “I am incredibly proud of the progressive energy we cultivated as a team, anchoring our creativity in contemporary culture, and seeing it resonate with the most forthright, expressive figures across art, music, cinema and more. I leave with profound gratitude for the dedication of the studio and atelier, and craftspeople. I look forward to my next chapter and wish the House every success.”
The Dublin-born designer joined the Kering-owned label in 2023 as Sarah Burton’s successor. Since his debut Fall 2024 collection, McGirr has honored McQueen’s signatures, including sharp tailoring and eerie romanticism (he brought back the beloved skull scarf), while adding a punkish, youthful attitude. Unbeknownst to us all, he presented his final collection for the brand in September 2026 during Paris Fashion Week for the Spring 2027 season.
“I want to thank Seán personally for everything he has brought to Alexander McQueen,” Gianfranco D’Attis, president and CEO of Alexander McQueen, said in a press statement. “Over the past three years, he has approached the House with great respect for its history while expressing his own vision. His talent and passion have helped us reconnect Alexander McQueen with London, its culture and its extraordinary creative energy. I am deeply grateful to Seán and to the teams for their commitment, creativity and contribution to the House,”
McGirr joins a growing list designers exiting top luxury houses recently, including Leoni leaving Calvin Klein, Ib Kamara parting ways with Off-White, Julien Dossena out at Rabanne (now helmed by Olivier Rousteing), among others.
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