Sarah Burton - Designer, Creative Director of Givenchy

[LadyJunon]

Thank you for the article. Elena Velez should read this and take notes.

By cancelling her show or by launching a secondary line.

 

[LadyJunon]

By cancelling her show or by launching a secondary line.

*By cancelling her show or by launching a secondary line?

 

[jeanclaude]

*By cancelling her show or by launching a secondary line?

Cancelling her show and making something wearable (be it a secondary line or not).

 

[Nimsay]

Elena Velez :… you would think she was actually something to discuss the way she is thrown around her. Her name should be a punchline.

 

[Nimsay]

i've always asked myself that and i honestly don't know. i see them as total equals and find it difficult to rate one above the other. mcqueen was my first fashion love, with galliano following almost immediately after. i suppose i have more of a personal obsession with john's ouevre, but i don't necessarily rate him above lee. perhaps i feel more defensive over john and his work since he's been through hell since 2011 and so many people try and discredit him as a designer due to personal, and not professional, shortcomings. on the other hand, lee's legacy is completely safe and he's now achieved an almost mythic status. ultimately, i see them as two sides of the same coin and they've both produced many of the greatest collections and shows in fashion history. they share the crown - in my eyes, at least.

They can be compared because they both are Masters.

McQ is Pantheonic great because his rebellious ideas were translated into fabric and seam. he is unquestionably a Master of fabric and seam. Elena Velez could learn from him; how to put your ideas into clothes.

 

[FelipeV]

A new nightmare unblocked: Alessandro Michele is floating there without job and searching something to do

LOL

No, seriously, I hope Kering can bring the opportunity to someone who deserves a comeback to the scene (Haider, van Assche...)

Even worst: LADY GAGA. If Pharrell went to LV, what's stopping this? Ugh, no.

 

[gallianostan]

i must be the only person in this thread who has no idea who the f*ck elena velez is...

 

[Mathewthew]

i must be the only person in this thread who has no idea who the f*ck elena velez is...

Make it Two.... I just saw another thread with her name and I'm thinking who is she?

 

[youthinasia]

Make it Two.... I just saw another thread with her name and I'm thinking who is she?

Make it three!

 

[jeanclaude]

Elena Velez for everyone to read:
Discussion: Should Making It in Fashion Be This Hard? | the Fashion Spot

 

[LadyJunon]

Watching this "documentary" on the Alexander McQueen brand, especially the last five minutes, which talked about the marketing and merchandising strategies behind Burton's tenure and her departure:

Long story short, they repositioned Burton as the "commercial" designer to conserve the label. Now that Gucci and Balenciaga are out of the picture, they're planning on a "brand revival", removing Burton to make the process go smoother. So gross.

 

[gallianostan]

Watching this "documentary" on the Alexander McQueen brand, especially the last five minutes, which talked about the marketing and merchandising strategies behind Burton's tenure and her departure:

Long story short, they repositioned Burton as the "commercial" designer to conserve the label. Now that Gucci and Balenciaga are out of the picture, they're planning on a "brand revival", removing Burton to make the process go smoother. So gross.

so it's true that they gave her the boot, and that she didn't voluntarily leave? if so, that's absolutely repulsive. over two decades of brilliant, loyal service to the house, and that's what she gets in return? f*ck kering.

 

[Mrs.T]

Oh s**t. That's like the worse thing that can happen to this brand. I love McQueen the way it was before and somewhat during Burton's time there. But a new head designer who just might not get the vibe of the brand? I'm officially scared

 

[susseinmcswanny]

Wait what so they're trying to like make it the next "thing"?

 

[LadyJunon]

Wait what so they're trying to like make it the next "thing"?

Probably, when you look at Kering's brands, they always seem to consistently have one or two fashion darlings under their name at a given point:
Tom Ford - mid/late 90s
Alexander McQueen - early/mid 00s
Nicolas Ghesquière - mid/late 00s/early 10s
Hedi Slimane - mid 10s
Alessandro Michele - mid/late 10s
Daniel Lee - late 10s
Demna Gvasalia - late 10s/early 20s

Right now, they don't a designer to fill that role, which is needed to keep Kering creatively relevant:
• Gucci is currently entering a conservation period, so their offering will be too conventional to market them as such
• Balenciaga is out of commission due to the scandal last year and will probably also enter a conservation period after Demna's departure
• Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta seem to be doing well creatively and commercially, but their creative directors are too introverted for Kering to convincingly prostitute them to the media
• Valentino isn't fully owned by Kering yet and has already past its "peak years" under PPP

This leaves us with McQueen and Brioni and McQueen seems like a much easier, straightforward job, given the brand's history and reputation as shocking and fashion-forward. By marketing Burton as McQueen's version of a Giannini/Maier/Pilati, it becomes easier to market her successor as a Michele/Lee/Hedi. Striking twice like Balenciaga did with Ghesquière and Demna has proven to be extremely rare.

 

[gallianostan]

Probably, when you look at Kering's brands, they always seem to consistently have one or two fashion darlings under their name at a given point:
Tom Ford - mid/late 90s
Alexander McQueen - early/mid 00s
Nicolas Ghesquière - mid/late 00s/early 10s
Hedi Slimane - mid 10s
Alessandro Michele - mid/late 10s
Daniel Lee - late 10s
Demna Gvasalia - late 10s/early 20s

Right now, they don't a designer to fill that role, which is needed to keep Kering creatively relevant:
• Gucci is currently entering a conservation period, so their offering will be too conventional to market them as such
• Balenciaga is out of commission due to the scandal last year and will probably also enter a conservation period after Demna's departure
• Saint Laurent and Bottega Veneta seem to be doing well creatively and commercially, but their creative directors are too introverted for Kering to convincingly prostitute them to the media
• Valentino isn't fully owned by Kering yet and has already past its "peak years" under PPP

This leaves us with McQueen and Brioni and McQueen seems like a much easier, straightforward job, given the brand's history and reputation as shocking and fashion-forward. By marketing Burton as McQueen's version of a Giannini/Maier/Pilati, it becomes easier to market her successor as a Michele/Lee/Hedi. Striking twice like Balenciaga did with Ghesquière and Demna has proven to be extremely rare.

someone at kering desperately needs to just give john a call. highly doubt it will ever happen, but that's the only way they could make alexander mcqueen the house to watch.

 

[Nimsay]

I was about to type that right now.

 

[Mrs.T]

someone at kering desperately needs to just give john a call. highly doubt it will ever happen, but that's the only way they could make alexander mcqueen the house to watch.

Oh this would be a dream come true. But unfortunately this will remain a dream.

 

[Nimsay]

Sarah did a great job defining McQueen code. making consistently wearable clothes. Remember McQueen struggled with toning down his avant garde look into something wearable. Sarah is really his YSL - Letting her go is a short sighted choice. Kering keeps jettisoning loyal people they should be repositioning within their company.

Kering should keep her on and do Saint Laurent Homme.

anyway - so you heard the prada guy fabio is coming to McQ? At least it will be well tailored IG.

 

[perhydrol]

Like her or not, it's because of Sarah Burton's talent that the brand is still alive and profitable. She may be quite conservative with her aesthetics, but at the same time, she had to categorise all the McQueen codes in order to make them recognisable for their consumers. We also shouldn't forget about her educational initiatives, that's another aspect of her work that deserves recognition. Overall, even if her collections weren't always exciting, her achievements are gigantic and she's gonna be deeply missed. Give her some Givenchy or Dior already!