Seán McGirr - Designer, Creative Director of Alexander McQueen

[Olaffo]

I mean let's not judge him based on his BA collection, it was long time ago and he has gained experience and (hopefully) polished his aesthetics. I completely reject this nonsense of his gender or skin colour, couldn't care less as long as he does his job well.

So his first collection will be Resort 2024?

 

[LadyJunon]

So his first collection will be Resort 2024?

Kering brands (with the exception of Gucci) like to show the pre-collections privately to buyers, before a public release six months later when they arrive in stores.

Resort 24 would've been shown privately back in June, so it should already be in production at this point. My best guess is that McGirr's first collection will be Pre-Fall 24 with the Fall 24 collections (whether they're split or co-ed) being the first collection we actually see.

 

[Overindulgence]

His photography...whose subjects usually seems to be an 13-16 year old white boy...is..interesting..to say the least.

He might blow us away so I'm keeping an open mind. However, if articles/profiles start coming leading up to it...like Lola has mentioned, i'll be worried *shivers from thought of the Sabato/Gucci/Ancora mess*.

 

[PierreGotha]

According to what we've seen is that he's a club kid at heart, has moderate experience and will most likely be stronger at menswear.

It would be interesting to see McQueen from a much younger point of view, Lee did start the brand after his graduation.
However, at that time, he was already a master cutter with creative technicality. Which Sean lacks, for now.

I'll keep an open mind for his debut because he has the experience. But in the grand scheme of things, execution is the primordial barometer.

 

[Tchi]

what does this have to do with anything?



hope they could atleast have sarah mentor him and his "tailoring" so it wouldnt look like asos quality

No babe, as a womenswear designer seeing that 1granary post is honestly quite tragic.

 

[gallianostan]

this is completely doomed. nobody but lee's colleagues and true mcqueen historians/experts know the house codes well enough to be CD. there's a certain sartorial grammar that you just become trained to immediately identify, and that kind of skill comes only after years of familiarising yourself with his work. this stupid twink is setting himself up for failure.

 

[Scotty]

Oh my... the early work is giving Project Runway introduction episode.

 

[jeanclaude]

I don´t care about gender, skin colour, age, sexual orientation...I only care about talent.

And frankly, after seeing his work I can only say "TALENT, WHAT TALENT?" (like what McQueen said about Hubert de Givenchy).

I don´t know what Kering has seen in this guy. I just hope his first collection makes me eat every single word I have written here.

But I doubt it...

 

[Thefrenchy]

I think some people should go touch some grass because using derogatory terms against someone absolutely unknown is shameful and idiotic -- to say the least.

Lee died years ago and his vision with him, Burton despite having worked closely with Lee was never the pinnacle of creativity, and we haven't seen anything from that guy. Let him show what he's got, my goodness. And please, that argument of "that early collection is not a good sign" is just... How does YOUR own work at the beginning of your career compares to the work you do now? Be serious.

I'm sorry, but this is absolutely absurd.

 

[Tchi]

I just think this is a general upset reaction because we have all seen what dubious nominations led to in terms of creativity, to be honest I think he is the perfect candidate, a British beige CV with a touch of creativity and a a commercial sensibility, young, will listen to the merchandiser and do what told. Good boy!

 

[jeanclaude]

How does YOUR own work at the beginning of your career compares to the work you do now? Be serious.

I'm sorry, but this is absolutely absurd.

You could see talent in Alexander McQueen early collections. The same with Galliano. And with Ghesquière...and many others.

Talent is not made. You are born with it... or not.

 

[Thefrenchy]

^ Happy to see all these people's BA collections and student projects, please link us up.

Fashion is about going forward, not fantasising a world that doesn't exist anymore. You get talents like those you mentioned once in a generation. Even today, the industry has moved on from their approach.

We know Plato Atlantis but today's kids think of McQueen for sneakers. FOR SNEAKERS. MCQUEEN.

Enough with all this nostalgia, and treating fashion designers like they're the messiah. At the end of the day, this is an industry not an art gallery. If it's terrible and doesn't sell, he'll go. If it's subpar and it sells. so be it. I mean, look around and the amount of veterans showing terrible collection after terrible collection. It's not like we have been blessed by so many groundbreaking fashion moments in recent times...!

We live in a different moment, where CEOs and top executives do not want to deal with egos -- that on top of that cost millions. I let you imagine the yearly salary of a Ghesquiere vs. someone like Sean... No more divas (those who tried like LDSS and Daniel Lee broke their teeth in the process), lower salaries so they cost you less if you want to get rid of them, and talents that can quickly assimilate a company culture and understand they need to perform sale-wise. Not the best recipe for intense creativity but these days are over, and everybody should move on.

 

[jeanclaude]

Not the best recipe for intense creativity but these days are over, and everybody should move on.

Not everyone is conformist with the current times. I am not. And I refuse to let marketing crush creativity.

You can easily google to see all those talented designers early work.
Going to an expensive fashion school does not give you talent. Work only polish your talent if you have it; otherwise you will get plenty of experience and skills...but not talent.

You know, CEOs and top executives don´t want to deal with egos...mainly because they are now the ones with big egos: unrealistic visions of neverending grow and financial objectives, which are going to turn them all into billionaires.

 

[gallianostan]

^ Happy to see all these people's BA collections and student projects, please link us up.

Fashion is about going forward, not fantasising a world that doesn't exist anymore. You get talents like those you mentioned once in a generation. Even today, the industry has moved on from their approach.

We know Plato Atlantis but today's kids think of McQueen for sneakers. FOR SNEAKERS. MCQUEEN.

Enough with all this nostalgia, and treating fashion designers like they're the messiah. At the end of the day, this is an industry not an art gallery. If it's terrible and doesn't sell, he'll go. If it's subpar and it sells. so be it. I mean, look around and the amount of veterans showing terrible collection after terrible collection. It's not like we have been blessed by so many groundbreaking fashion moments in recent times...!

We live in a different moment, where CEOs and top executives do not want to deal with egos -- that on top of that cost millions. I let you imagine the yearly salary of a Ghesquiere vs. someone like Sean... No more divas (those who tried like LDSS and Daniel Lee broke their teeth in the process), lower salaries so they cost you less if you want to get rid of them, and talents that can quickly assimilate a company culture and understand they need to perform sale-wise. Not the best recipe for intense creativity but these days are over, and everybody should move on.

we're a fashion community, and our job here is to engage in fashion criticism. the fact of the matter is that sean mcgirr is a poor tailor; we can see that from his graduate collection. mcqueen was already a consummate tailor and pattern-cutter by the age of 22. you underestimate the importance of a compelling creative vision to recent brands like alexander mcqueen. it is not dior, or chanel. it hasn't reached the billion-pound benchmark. it cannot simply sustain itself. if kering wants to expand the reach of the house, they need a designer who can counterbalance commerce and business savvy with an imaginative design vision. these designers are already getting paid far more than they should (for the dogshit they put out), so they're perfectly able to take some criticism. proclaiming that the days of creativity "are over" is a lazy excuse to legitimise mediocrity; couture was declared dead in the late 80s/early 90s, and then experienced a tremendous revival. marketing true creativity and obvious talent is far easier than marketing a pile of sh*t. the talent speaks for itself. it doesn't need an insipid diatribe about 'heritage' and "savoir-faire" by bernard arnault.

 

[yslforever]

I just think this is a general upset reaction because we have all seen what dubious nominations led to in terms of creativity, to be honest I think he is the perfect candidate, a British beige CV with a touch of creativity and a a commercial sensibility, young, will listen to the merchandiser and do what told. Good boy!

You’re in troubles if you start confusing British and Irish…

 

[gallianostan]

You’re in troubles

pun intended?

 

[Cocteau Stone]

Not really surprised at the choice. There's an air of Daniel Lee or JW about him. I'm just shocked that they announced the replacement after Burton's last show.

Arm placement is really weird in that profile shot. His own photography and male fascination reminds me of JWs look book shoots for Loewe Men's, which I have always found to be a little "Death in Venice" meets Wes Anderson...

 

[MulletProof]

^ are you? it's Kering, I'd be surprised if Sarah's card to enter the building is still active lmao.

we can see that from his graduate collection. mcqueen was already a consummate tailor and pattern-cutter by the age of 22.

Raf delivered fantastic work and got a job as a womenswear designer at Jil before he even knew how to make one goddamn dress or figure out how to dress women in general (and he did, but has never really been outstanding). It's not ideal but.. ... learning a crucial part of the job while at the job is more common than you think and not exclusive to fashion. Ultimately, he created that collection from scratch but does he need to in corporate fashion? he'll just delegate. Good if he's a great tailor but not the end of the world if he's not. McQueen was from a generation that, just like chefs in the 90s in contrast to people who graduate culinary school these days and want to skip a year of peeling off potatoes because they want stardom and they want it now, still worked their way up by learning their craft from the very basics and took their time refining it and mastering it. I mean, the man died while at his own label, signing designs that carried his name, it's a different life philosophy and trajectory. Working your way up means something so different now, in an era where fashion is 95% corporate s*it, it means mobility and knowing how to be okay being a yes man, just like a finance bro.

Anyway, I don't have any hope in these strategies. I think there are some positive things, for starters I see a little bit of David Armstrong in that earlier work (thanks, LadyJunon!).. and I like the fact that he's younger and relatively new but still experienced enough (Lemaire, U, Dries, all good signs).. at some point fashion really just rotated the exact same people like a bad dream (Hedi, Raf, Galliano, Hedi, Galliano, Raf, repeat.. ) so at least they're bringing in new people. On the other hand, the fact that he's never really been independent is not a good sign, he may have some freshness but.. he's been in the worst part of the system for too long and it's his professional foundation, you can't undo that and it shows in how creativity is conveyed. Just look at Glenn Martens, he experienced independence for a minute but it's like he never did, he just churns out garbage season after season and now in two different cities.. polluting way more than the average/older designer. Same thing will happen here, it's not pessimism, just.. an easy forecast.

I don't think any mention of his race merits even a discussion. This is coming from the same people that found nothing wrong with Pharrell or Virgil at LV just based on skin color..

 

[Cocteau Stone]

^ are you? it's Kering, I'd be surprised if Sarah's card to enter the building is still active lmao.

Sorry, I meant so soon after her last show. But yeah it's Kering at the end of the day, they love a quick switch flip when it comes to their designer coming and goings.

 

[LadyJunon]

Sorry, I meant so soon after her last show. But yeah it's Kering at the end of the day, they love a quick switch flip when it comes to their designer coming and goings.

They probably actually had him in place from before the announcement, but they probably wanted Burton to have a proper swansong. The type of swansong Lee deserved.