The British designer introduced her signature boy-meets-girl formula, revived the couture business and pulled off one of the most famous wedding dress commissions of all time – for Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex – during her three-year tenure.
Clare Waight Keller has confirmed she is leaving Givenchy after three “truly wonderful” years as its artistic director. The British designer made history as the first woman to take the helm of the heritage French house, founded by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952.
She brought it back to the haute couture runway, and also won perhaps the most coveted – and highly classified – fashion commission of the decade when she was chosen by Meghan Markle to design her wedding gown in 2018, for her wedding to Prince Harry.
The news comes a little over a month after what we now know was Waight Keller’s final Givenchy collection, shown at Paris Fashion Week autumn/winter 2020.
“Focusing on a world based on haute couture has been one of the highlights of my professional journey,” Waight Keller said in a statement she posted on 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.
“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.”
