Words by Brooke Bobb
The Dublin-born designer was most recently head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson
Today, Kering announced the appointment of Seán McGirr as Creative Director of Alexander McQueen. The news comes on the heels of Sarah Burton’s final show for the brand, where she’s been for nearly three decades. The Dublin-born McGirr was most recently the head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson and before that, he was the womenswear designer for Dries Van Noten. He has also worked for Uniqlo in Paris and Tokyo, as well as Christophe Lemaire, and Burberry. McGirr’s experience ranges from womenswear to menswear, and he is a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London.
In a statement posted to Instagram, CEO of Alexander McQueen Gianfilippo Testa said, “we are delighted to welcome Seán McGirr as Creative Director. With his experience, personality, and creative energy, he will bring a powerful creative language to Alexander McQueen while building on its unique heritage.” François-Henri Pinault echoed these sentiments, saying that they are “confident that Seán McGirr will be able to pursue its [Alexander McQueen’s] journey with a new creative impetus.”
McGirr is a relatively unknown name to those outside of the industry, but his expertise across multiple categories and markets speaks to the fact that he promises to bring a well-rounded design and business sensibility to the brand. Coming from working alongside the widely lauded Jonathan Anderson bodes well, and it’s a hiring strategy that has proven to be successful for Kering in the past, a la former right-hands Alessandro Michele and Sabato de Sarno for Gucci. What the future holds for Alexander McQueen is still uncertain, but its new direction under McGirr will be one to watch.
