Breaking News: Clare Waight Keller is Leaving Givenchy

by Maddison Glendinning April 10, 2020

News has just broken that Clare Waight Keller is exiting her role at Givenchy. She was the first female to ever head up the storied French luxury brand.

Announcing the news via an Instagram post, Waight Keller wrote, “After three truly wonderful years, the time has come to close my chapter at Givenchy. As the first woman to be the artistic director of this legendary Maison, I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to cherish its legacy and bring it new life.”

She continued, “Focusing on a world based on haute couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey. I have shared so many incredible moments with the brilliant Givenchy ateliers and design teams: your exceptional talent and dedication will forever remain in my memories.” The designer also thanked the “unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes” working in product, communications, retail, supply and other sectors.

There is no indication of where she is headed next, however Waight Keller ended the note by writing, “I am now looking forward to embarking on the next episode. Love and creativity remain central to what I do, and who I am, as does a heartfelt belief in kindness, and the courage to be true to your art. See you soon.”

View this post on Instagram

From the heart ♥️ After three truly wonderful years, the time has come to close my chapter at Givenchy. As the first woman to be the Artistic Director of this legendary Maison, I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to cherish its legacy and bring it new life. Focusing on a world based on Haute Couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey. I have shared so many incredible moments with the brilliant Givenchy ateliers and design teams : your exceptional talent and dedication will forever remain in my memories. My heartfelt thanks go out to each of the unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes, for their contribution from product to communications and retail, and every global team member, partner and supplier in between. Without all of you, I could not have brought my vision for Givenchy to life in such a beautiful way. I am now looking forward to embarking on the next episode. Love and creativity remain central to what I do, and who I am, as does a heartfelt belief in kindness, and the courage to be true to your art. See you soon, and most importantly, stay safe ️ Love, Clare

A post shared by Clare Waight Keller (@clarewaightkeller) on Apr 10, 2020 at 7:05am PDT

Waight Keller joined the brand in 2017, succeeding Riccardo Tisci. Her aesthetic was markedly different from Tisci’s, and breathed new life into the brand. One of her major milestones at the brand was designing Meghan Markle’s wedding dress for her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Waight Keller continued to create incredible looks for Meghan across her two years as a royal. She was also responsible for reintroducing the brand’s couture line.

Her final collection for the house will be the Fall 2020 collection. No replacement has been named as yet, however the brand told WWD that a new “creative organization” would be revealed at a later date. Watch this space.

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