Sarah Burton
Creative director of Givenchy (since September 2024)
Sarah Burton is a British designer who has been creative director of Givenchy since September 2024. She spent 26 years at Alexander McQueen, leading the house as creative director from 2010 to 2023, and designed the Princess of Wales's wedding dress in 2011.
| Role | Creative director |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Givenchy (LVMH) |
| Since | September 2024 |
| Previous role | Creative director, Alexander McQueen (2010 to 2023) |
| Born | 1974, Macclesfield |
| Education | Central Saint Martins |
Who is Sarah Burton?
Sarah Burton, born in Macclesfield in 1974, is a British fashion designer and the creative director of Givenchy, the LVMH owned Paris house founded by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952. She was appointed in September 2024 after a long career at Alexander McQueen, where she was creative director for thirteen years.
Career
Burton studied print fashion at Central Saint Martins in London after a foundation course at Manchester Polytechnic. She joined Alexander McQueen as an intern during her studies and became a full time member of the studio after graduating in 1997. She was appointed head of womenswear in 2000 and, after Lee Alexander McQueen's death, creative director in May 2010.
Her best known commission came in 2011, when she designed the wedding dress of Catherine Middleton, now the Princess of Wales. Under her leadership the McQueen house developed its tailoring and craft heritage for a broader audience, and she left the brand in 2023 after 26 years.
- 1997: joins Alexander McQueen full time
- 2000: head of womenswear
- May 2010: creative director of Alexander McQueen
- 2011: British Fashion Council Designer of the Year
- 2012: OBE
- September 2024: creative director of Givenchy
- March 2025: first Givenchy womenswear show
- June 2026: first Givenchy menswear collection (spring/summer 2027)
Influence on the fashion business
Burton's appointment at Givenchy was part of a wide reshuffle of creative leadership across luxury houses in 2024 and 2025. She presented her first womenswear collection for the house in Paris in March 2025, and her autumn/winter 2026 collection, shown on 6 March 2026, continued a focus on cut, tailoring and silhouette that the house describes as foundational to her approach. In June 2026 she presented her first menswear collection for the house, for spring/summer 2027.
Her career is also notable as an example of internal succession done well. At McQueen she moved from studio assistant to creative director within the same house, preserving continuity of design language, skills and teams at a moment of crisis for the brand.
Why it matters
For the business of fashion, Burton represents the value of deep atelier knowledge and team continuity. Her task at Givenchy, to give a historic couture house a clear and commercially credible identity after several changes of designer, is a test case for how luxury groups rebuild brand equity through product and craftsmanship.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Sarah Burton?
Sarah Burton is a British designer born in 1974 who has been creative director of Givenchy since September 2024. Before that she worked at Alexander McQueen for 26 years and led it from 2010 to 2023.
What is Sarah Burton known for?
She is known for continuing the Alexander McQueen house after its founder's death and for designing Catherine Middleton's wedding dress in 2011. At Givenchy she has focused on tailoring and silhouette.