Claire Waight Keller Steps Down As Creative Director of Givenchy

She had been the brand's first female creative director.

Givenchy : Runway - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Spring/Summer 2019
(Image credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis)

On Friday, news broke that Clare Waight Keller is leaving Givenchy. After three years with the famed fashion house, her fall/winter 2020 collection, which showed in Paris on March 1, will be Keller's last. As the first female creative director for the house, her collections remained true to the brand's DNA: sensuous, feminine, and romantic with a bit of edge.

One of the British designer's most memorable moments during her short tenure was creating the wedding dress for Megan Markle. It took 3,900 hours to create the masterpiece that was seen by millions and drew acclaim from many observers. Prior to Givenchy, Keller had been highly acclaimed at Chloé and was credited for bringing a '70s bohemian, feminine flair to the brand.

Givenchy : Runway - Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2020/2021

A model walks in Givenchy’s ready-to-wear fall/winter 2020 show at Paris Fashion Week.

(Image credit: Victor VIRGILE)

Of her departure, Keller released a statement: "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."

Sidney Toledano, chairman and CEO of LVMH, thanked Keller for her contributions and noted that she connected the brand back to the elegant aesthetic that Hubert de Givenchy once created.

While we don't yet know the reason for the departure (as of now, fans are under the impression that her contract is up), we do know that in pre-COVID-19 life, fashion was always a game of musical chairs. Now, it seems like the game is back. With Keller's killer resumé and romantic vision, any fashion house would be lucky to have her. And that's what we call winning.

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Katie Attardo

Katie Attardo is the Accessories Editor at Marie Claire, covering all things fashion and jewelry-related.