Seán McGirr Departs Alexander McQueen

Seán McGirr is leaving Alexander McQueen after three years as creative director, the fashion house announced on October 15. The Irish designer’s departure comes less than a month after he presented his Spring/Summer 2027 collection in London, marking the brand’s return to London Fashion Week after years of showing in Paris. Kering, the luxury group that owns the label, said it would announce new creative leadership soon.

Photo: Getty

McGirr joined Alexander McQueen in October 2023, succeeding Sarah Burton, who spent 26 years at the house, including 13 as creative director. Burton took over the role following the death of founder Lee Alexander McQueen in 2010. Her departure in 2023 opened the door for McGirr, whose appointment brought a new designer to a label closely associated with its founder’s unconventional runway shows and distinctive tailoring.

Before joining McQueen, McGirr served as head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson. His previous experience also included positions at Dries Van Noten, Burberry and Uniqlo. A graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, he entered the role with a background spanning established luxury houses and more accessible fashion retail.

Photo: Instagram/@McQueen

His first collection for Alexander McQueen, presented in Paris in 2024, received mixed reviews. The designs included exaggerated knitwear, shearling jackets and embellished trouser suits, signaling a different approach from Burton’s collections. Critics questioned whether his early work had established a clear direction for the house, whose identity remains closely linked to the late designer’s work.

McGirr continued to explore the brand’s established references while introducing his own ideas. His tenure included the return of recognizable McQueen motifs and an emphasis on unconventional styling. However, his collections continued to attract debate over how the house could evolve while retaining the identity that made it one of Britain’s best-known fashion labels.

Photo: Instagram/@McQueen

His final collection, for Spring/Summer 2027, was presented in London on September 20. The show took place at Lincoln’s Inn Chapel and included sculptural tailoring, leather harnesses, metallic details and gowns. It marked a major change in the house’s runway schedule, returning McQueen to London Fashion Week for the first time in more than two decades.

McGirr’s departure comes as parent company Kering reassesses Alexander McQueen’s business. The group has been working to address challenges across its luxury portfolio, while reporting on the fashion house has highlighted restructuring and efforts to refocus its operations. Kering has not publicly detailed a specific reason for McGirr’s exit, and no successor had been announced at the time of the departure statement.

Photo: Instagram/@Seán McGirr

In its announcement, Kering CEO Luca de Meo thanked McGirr for his contribution and said the group intended to establish a new direction for the house. Alexander McQueen CEO Gianfranco D’Attis also acknowledged the designer’s work and his role in reconnecting the brand with London and its creative community.

McGirr’s next move has not been announced. The fashion industry will now be watching for Kering’s choice of successor and the direction the next creative director takes at Alexander McQueen.