Sarah Burton—Givency’s new creative director—is a woman of few words. Her work, however, speaks volumes. A close review of her collections for Alexander McQueen reveals the broad scope of her vibrant imagination, which over the years has spanned sci-fi and Tudor references, military rigor, and paeans to butterflies and other wonders of the natural world.
Romance and restraint is the central dichotomy at play in Burton’s work. She has a special sensitivity to the materiality of texture, whether that takes the form of a flocked fabric, micro-pleats, feathers, or extravagantly lush draping often inspired by flowers and, at least once, the female reproductive system. When it comes to embellishment, Burton likes to float couturelike beadwork on sheer fabrics; it’s almost as if she’s animating a shadow.
At McQueen, Burton was building upon—and softening—the tropes set by the brilliant and tortured Lee McQueen. In pop culture, the name Givenchy is linked with that of Audrey Hepburn, but just as important to Hubert de Givenchy’s development as a designer was being taken under the wing of Cristóbal Balenciaga. Burton too has experience working in tandem with another creator, having joined McQueen straight from school. Time will reveal if there are aesthetic affinities between Givenchy and Burton, but right off the bat it’s clear that there is alignment when it comes to clarity of vision and rigor of craftsmanship. The images below celebrate Burton’s magic touch, literally in detail.
Sleeves and Drapery
Embellishment
Embroidery
Corsets and Harnesses
Florals
Feathers, Birds, Butterflies
Shoes
