Clare Waight Keller To Depart Givenchy

In the midst of an already tumultuous time in the fashion industry, Givenchy and designer Clare Waight Keller are now parting ways. It was announced on Fri. April 10, ending a three year stint for the artistic director designing ready to wear, Haute Couture, and menswear for the iconic Parisian fashion house. No replacement is named for now, and due in part to production changes spurred by recent events, the brand will not produce a couture collection this season.

“Focusing on a world based on haute couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey,” Waight Keller said in post shared to her Instagram. "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." In a statement released by the brand, LVMH Fashion Group's Chairman and CEO Sidney Toledano adds, "Under her creative leadership, and in great collaboration with its ateliers and teams, the Maison reconnected with the founding values of Hubert de Givenchy and his innate sense of elegance."

Before joining Givenchy, the British designer served as the creative director at Chloé, and earlier as creative director at Pringle of Scotland and senior designer at Gucci. Though she came to her latest role having earned high praise for her mastering of the bohemian ease of Chloé, in her first Haute Couture post, Waight Keller exemplified a wider breadth of work, mixing edge and glamour together with ease.

During her time at Givenchy, Waight Keller was known for immaculate tailoring, especially in her couture collections. On the red carpet, the designer dressed many of the globe's top celebrity's in Givenchy, Rihanna donned a couture dress for her 2019 Diamond Ball, while Gal Gadot, Selena Gomez, and Cate Blanchett have all supported the brand on the red carpet. But, perhaps the look that Waight Keller will be best known for during her tenure, is for the wedding gown she designed for Meghan Markle's marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.

Waight Keller was the first woman to helm Givenchy since its founding by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952. After Givenchy died in 2018 at the age of 91, Waight Keller's Fall Haute Couture collection was an ode to the founder. "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," Waight Keller wrote further.