Did you hear the sound of the record scratching as the needle was lifted in the latest round of Creative Director Musical Chairs took place last week?
Sean McGirr Parts Ways with House of McQueen after 3 Years
First, Seán McGirr is officially parting ways with the house of McQueen. As reported by WWD, Kering CEO Luca de Meo acknowledged the designer’s “contribution and dedication” to the house in a statement, while McGirr called himself “incredibly proud of the progressive energy we cultivated as a team, anchoring our creativity in contemporary culture, and seeing it resonate with the most forthright, expressive figures across art, music, cinema, and more.” He added, “I leave with profound gratitude for the dedication of the studio and atelier, and craftspeople.”
As Elle reports, the designer succeeded Sarah Burton, who led the brand as creative director for 13 years (26 total at the company), following her close friend and mentor Lee Alexander McQueen’s death in 2010.
The Irish-born McGirr studied at Central Saint Martins and worked at houses including Burberry and Dries Van Noten before being appointed head of menswear at JW Anderson. While at McQueen, his designs often tapped back into the avant-garde feel of the house’s origins, while still utilizing the atelier’s tailoring (honed and polished by Burton) to the best of its abilities. His most notable homage to McQueen was possibly his revival of the iconic skull scarf. Though the product had never actually left production, it hadn’t been seen on the runway since its debut in the spring/summer 2003 collection, titled “Irere.”
This past season, the designer enjoyed a full-circle moment, returning to London Fashion Week to show his spring/summer 2027 collection. It was the first time McQueen had officially shown there since 2001. Following the show, McGirr told the press that he was inspired by the wonderful “wrongness” of the city’s style. The designer has yet to announce his plans, but he did say, “I look forward to my next chapter and wish the house every success.”
Veronica Leoni exits Calvin Klein after just 4 seasons
Hot on the heels of the McGirr announcement, WWD reports that it’s the end of the road at Calvin Klein for Veronica Leoni, now former creative director of Calvin Klein Collection.
Calvin Klein said last week that the brand and Leoni will part ways at the end of her current contract, confirming speculation that had been circulating in the market. A new Collection creative leadership will be revealed “in due course,” according to the company.
“I want to thank Veronica for her creative vision, commitment and partnership over the past two years,” said David Savman, global brand president of Calvin Klein. “Reintroducing Collection was a significant milestone for Calvin Klein, and Veronica’s exceptional talent and fresh perspective on Calvin’s iconic design codes helped build meaningful momentum for Collection. Collection remains an important part of our brand; we are excited by the progress to date and look forward to its continued evolution.”
Leoni, who was born in Rome, joined Calvin Klein to great fanfare in May 2024, and her debut collection was shown in February 2025 for fall 2025. Her high-profile appointment followed a multiyear hiatus for Calvin Klein Collection on the runway following the departure of Raf Simons in 2018. It also represented the first time Calvin Klein Collection had a female creative director.
Calvin Klein himself showed up at Leoni’s debut runway presentation in February 2025, seated in the front row alongside Kelly Klein, Kate Moss and Christy Turlington. He had praised the collection, telling WWD, “I loved it. I loved the coats. I started in coats, and I thought they were so dramatic and inventive and architectural. The tailoring was beautiful. The fabrics are quite wonderful. I loved the dresses too. For a start, it was quite extraordinary.”
At the time of her hiring, the company said Leoni was expected to merge her deep industry expertise with the modern aesthetic of Calvin Klein, while partnering with Eva Serrano, then-Calvin Klein global brand president, to bring inspiration from the Collection to the mainline portfolio and the red carpet. Serrano exited her role in May 2025 and was succeeded by Savman.
While Leoni’s debut collection might have been met with mixed reviews overall, her follow-up spring 2026 collection was called a “standout” by WWD. And then for spring 2027, WWD reported the collection “was distinctively more evolved and elevated in fabric and silhouette, centering firmly around the founder’s rich ’90s sportswear and minimalist archive.” Further, Leoni found her way back to the brand’s strongest statements through a concise lineup that displayed promise and should be pushed forward with pieces that exude this restraint but perhaps with even more passionate allure.
Last month, in fact, Calvin Klein came in first place in social engagement during New York Fashion Week, according to ListenFirst, the social analytics firm. The brand headed spring ’27 engagement with a 15.3 million score, up 552 percent versus last February’s show.
Despite the fact that the brand was receiving better reviews and creating more buzz recently, speculation had been swirling for months that Leoni’s contract may not be renewed. None of the stores surveyed by WWD listed Calvin Klein among their favorite collections during the recent New York Fashion Week.
According to Calvin Klein, Leoni played a key role in reestablishing Collection, bringing the brand back to the runway and generating strong visibility and share of voice across four shows. Her creative expression extended beyond the runway into cultural moments that further strengthened the brand’s presence in fashion. The company said Collection remains an important part of Calvin Klein’s long-term strategy, “and the pinnacle expression of the brand.”
Discussing Leoni’s departure, Robert Burke, founder and chief executive officer of Robert Burke Associates, said, “I’m not surprised necessarily. I think for Calvin to have a Collection that is desired by the consumer and the retailers, you really need a break-out Collection that’s very distinctive with a very strong of view.” The market is very competitive right now, he said. “I think she was improving but better isn’t enough,” he said, especially when you have brands such as Khaite and The Row, where Leoni previously worked. “But Calvin is such an iconic brand, and the collection has to be exceptional and not just good,” said Burke.
Julie Gilhart, founder and president, Gilhart & Co., said, “Having scouted designers throughout my career, I am saddened that someone as talented as Veronica Leoni will no longer be at Calvin Klein. Her last show offered a real glimpse of the wonderful things to come. Calvin Klein Collection is such a beautiful name, and I was so proud of the brand appointing a woman as creative director. Talent needs time to evolve; there is no plug-and-play. Time is a creative gift, and in these results-driven days, it is hard to hold on to,” said Gilhart.
—
Photo Credit: Robert Way / Shutterstock.com
