What Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen Designed for Kate Middleton
And how the bride-to-be gave the British fashion brand a boost when it needed one most.
The fashion world was caught off guard on Monday with news that Sarah Burton was stepping down as creative director of Alexander McQueen. After nearly three decades with the brand, Burton’s upcoming runway show on Sept. 30 in Paris will be her last.
The move was deemed a “bombshell” by Lauren Sherman, the longtime fashion writer who now pens a newsletter now for Puck, adding that Burton’s “departure was sudden.” Samantha Conti of WWD reported this is one of many “rapid-fire moves” at Kering, the French luxury conglomerate that owns McQueen and other brands, including Gucci and Saint Laurent. In the midst of executive changes elsewhere in the company, Conti wrote, “no clear reason was given for McQueen and Burton parting ways.”
The fashion set, wrapping up runway shows in New York before heading to London, is awash with speculation about where the 49-year-old Burton is headed and who will replace her. Burton’s statement offered little insight, saying she was “so proud of everything I’ve done and of my incredible team at Alexander McQueen.”
I gasped at the news because of its potential implications on royal fashion. During her 13-year tenure as McQueen’s creative director, Burton has been one of the most — if not the most — influential designers dressing Catherine, now the Princess of Wales. From Kate’s iconic 2011 wedding dress through to her glamorous gown for this year’s coronation, Burton has elevated and crafted the princess’s public presence in the way that brings to mind Norman Hartnell and the early years of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Below is a look back at the relationship between the princess and the designer, and why each one of them has benefited greatly from the association. I’ve also included 10 of my favorite McQueen royal fashion moments as a bit of a look back on Burton’s work.
💭 Do you think Burton will continue to design for Catherine in a new capacity at another brand, or perhaps a new namesake label (which I would love to see!)? Or do you think this is a natural conclusion to their creative partnership? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Sarah Burton, a Designer for the Royal History Books
On a cold New York morning in February 2010, I was seated behind Anna Wintour at the BCBG runway show at New York Fashion Week. Before the catwalk concluded, I remember the Vogue editor-in-chief dashed out with more urgency than usual, clutching her flip phone in her hand. Soon, the reason for her hasty departure became clear: Lee Alexander McQueen, the celebrated British fashion designer, had died by suicide at the age of 40.
McQueen’s subversive, boundary-pushing designs had been widely revered. His runway shows “were the stuff of legend,” according to Vogue, describing them as “pure theatre that enthralled audiences with their audacity and conceptual brilliance.” Once the catwalk on literal fire; another time, he wanted to call the show “The Golden Shower” until a sponsor balked.
In the wake of his death, the future of his eponymous label was in peril. Three months later, in May 2010, McQueen’s right-hand person, Sarah Burton, was named creative director. She had been with the company since she was a fashion student in 1996; she returned two years later after graduating. By 2000, she was named head of womenswear. Even with her close connection to the late designer, the inevitable questions arose: What could McQueen be without McQueen?
Burton emphasized McQueen’s signature devotion to craftsmanship and sharp tailoring in her earliest collections. But she began to ease off the darker side, instead embracing, at times, a slightly softer and more feminine feel. “Her choices reflected a gradual transition,” wrote Cathy Horyn in her fall 2010 New York Times review of the next spring’s offering. “And she obviously knows how to make light clothes.”
It wasn’t long before Burton received a career-defining stamp of approval from a bride-to-be named Kate Middleton. The commoner marrying the heir to the throne could have chosen anyone to design her wedding dress; her selection of Burton was a major endorsement. News emerged weeks before the royal wedding in April 2011 with a report in the Sunday Times. (The leak has since been said to have been distressing to both sides, who had gone to great lengths to keep the secret.)
“The choice of Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, if correct, could not have come at a better time,” wrote Hillary Alexander in the Telegraph at the time, and “a coup for British fashion.”
Clarence House denied the rumors but, as we now know, they were very true — and revealing. “If Middleton has chosen Burton as her dress designer,” wrote The Guardian at the time. “It suggests a streak of daring which had not previously been evident in the would-be princess.” Alexander, in her Telegraph piece, said it “would be a bold and brilliant decision.”
Here’s the thing: Kate needed Burton and McQueen as much as they needed her. The association with the edgy high-fashion house gave the new Duchess of Cambridge a bit of fashion credibility. Kate Middleton’s pre-royal style (much like that of Lady Diana Spencer) didn’t always wow the fashion crowd. The late Dame Vivienne Westwood was quoted by the Telegraph in March 2011 as saying she would “have loved to have dressed Kate Middleton but I have to wait until she kind of catches up a bit somewhere with style.”
Opting for McQueen earned Kate a nod of respect from style insiders. And Burton’s exquisite design, with its V-neckline, lace bodice, and full skirt, was celebrated from the moment the world caught its first glimpse.
“A flawless success,” declared the New York Times, while the Telegraph’s fashion director said it “the wedding dress of the century.” The gown walked a fine line, glamorous enough to stand up to the grandeur of Westminster Abbey, but not over-the-top, like Princess Diana’s frothy confection that threatened to consume her. Catherine shone through, moving through the day with grace and ease. Burton, who was just 36 years old at the time, and the house of McQueen earned a well-deserved place in royal fashion history.
In the dozen years since, Burton has become one of only three names Catherine turns to for her biggest public appearances, joining Jenny Packham and Catherine Walker as the go-to labels for the Princess of Wales. Of that trio, I would say Burton is the favorite. She has been tapped for moments both extremely personal (including Kate’s 40th birthday portraits) and very public (most recently, the gown the princess wore for the coronation of King Charles III). And I can see why! Burton routinely delivers for Kate with styles that mix high fashion with formality and functionality. Make no mistake, Burton’s royal work will be admired and analyzed in museums and history books for decades to come.
I have often daydreamed about what the princess and designer’s creative process is like, from initial sketch to final fittings. Few people would have such an important and intimate relationship, no? The reality is we don’t know. Burton has said very little in the last dozen years. (I would imagine that discretion is extremely prized at the palace.) Burton explained her approach in a 2014 interview with the New York Times:
“I know we live in a culture obsessed with fame but I happen to believe privacy is a virtue, and the relationship I have with my clients is private. Some people like to think I’ve been too shy or that I’m afraid to speak up about the happy experience I had creating the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress, but I can tell you that is nonsense. I have never been a shrinking violet or a person who is ruled by fear. I loved making the dress, I loved adapting my ideas to suit the person and the occasion, and we put our hearts into it. I respect the intimate nature of that lovely project and I respect the friendships that were forged during it. This is the era of blab, but we’re strong-minded here at McQueen, we always have been, and we’re proud of what we do. There are people in the media who will always want to invent sinister reasons for people’s discretion, but an instinctive, intelligent, imaginative young woman’s wish for a beautiful wedding dress — or any kind of dress — is the most natural thing in the world. And I was honored to pick up the challenge and always will be.”
I am glad to hear that she looks back fondly on her wedding dress design, as it is the one I saw referenced in most headlines about Burton’s departure. As for what is next, time will tell. Perhaps, after nearly 30 years with the brand, she is taking a break? It would be well deserved. My guess — and sincere hope — is that whatever she does after that, Burton will continue dressing Catherine.
Below, for paid subscribers (thank you!) a look back at 10 of Catherine’s biggest McQueen moments. Did I miss one of your faves? Please share in the comments.
PS: Shoutout to my favorite Meghan Markle McQueen moment! The black trouser suit she wore in 2018 while engaged to Prince Harry was fantastic.