Seán McGirr - Designer, Creative Director of Alexander McQueen

[nilobraz]

I just hope he's a good tailor. I'm obsessed with Burton's menswear, so I expect nothing less. If he does quality tailoring, I'll support him.

 

[GivenchyHomme]

I’m hoping that he pulls a Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga and uses the archives as inspiration. There are so many things that can be easily reinterpreted into something wearable and modern. The brand has a very clear and defined DNA that does not need to be reinvented.

 

[Nimsay]

This move into quiet luxury is a direct response to social media being totally useless for marketing purposes.


Like who cares what a 15 year old who isnt buying the clothes thinks. People these days are so confused.

 

[perhydrol]

The longer I'm looking at the eponymous collections of McGirr, the more McQ I can see in those pieces. There's definitely a similar vibe going on, but I'm not sure if it's gonna work well for the McQueen's mainline. I just hope it won't be another ancora at this point.

 

[KoV]

The white male outrage and fake conversation is only relevant on social media and has no relevance in the real world because let’s be honest: The vast majority of the people criticizing the hiring works for companies where the Owner, CEO or Manager is a white man.

There’s something that I find quite paradoxal and sad in a way…I was confused by the amount of gay white man criticizing the hiring when they are a minority themselves and when we know that the fashion industry and creative fields for the most part are the only industry where gay men can have access to top positions of authority without having to resort to « hide their sexuality ».

‘For me, when we talk about HR and opportunities in those brands, it starts essentially in the HR departments, where you can provide opportunities to people in the studios or in the executive team.

‘And I have to say that the American POV around those question, that is a very passionate one is totally disconnected from the European one. We don’t have the same corporate culture and therefore the same expectations…Sadly.

Quotas based on ethnicities are forbidden in France and KERING is a French company. It has it pros and cons. On paper it means fair chance on everybody but it also mean that you are totally dependent on the appreciation of the person in front of you…

Anyway, it will be interesting to see those same people who are complaining, attend the Alexander McQueen show in March, gladly accept to be dressed by the brand and for the editors, to accept the advertising money provided by the company where the CD is a white gay man, the owner a straight white man to their journal or magazine, probably owned by a white straight man.

I'd like to believe that it's all restricted to online discourse, but I think it increasingly bleeds into actual sales and the perception of the fashion-consuming public. Look at what the (initially very online) backlash against Demna/Balenciaga did to the brand, in terms of sales and reputation. Not irreparable, but very costly and likely longer lasting than anyone would initially have predicted. Look at Pharrell's appointment. That's the most powerful entity in the industry showing how seriously they consider the voice of the mob.

In this particular case, I don't think it will spiral out of control or really escalate at all beyond the initial tsk tsking. But Kering can't afford to not care about optics right now and since their plans for McQueen seem to be to push it in a more commercial/profitable direction, it *could* go sideways fast if they don't play their cards right.

I agree it's sad to see gay men engage in arguably homophobic criticisms of him, like calling him a "twink" as a derogatory term.... what the hell?


Discussing "quiet luxury" and "old money aesthetic" makes my eye twitch, but obviously, the market has shifted, and even if I don't like the discourse I have to admit I love to see the pull-back from the pervasive logo mania, demand-the-most-attention-possible ensembles, and endless streetwear-inspired looks.

 

[PierreGotha]

The longer I'm looking at the eponymous collections of McGirr, the more McQ I can see in those pieces. There's definitely a similar vibe going on, but I'm not sure if it's gonna work well for the McQueen's mainline. I just hope it won't be another ancora at this point.

That was my first grasp as well. His work fits McQ.

My guess is that they wanted a more modern/younger approach but since they closed the line. they wanted to carry McQ's approach to its mainline through Sean. McQ was discontinued in 2022 after the start of its fiscal year and probably during that year, they've decided to move forward without Sarah.

therefore, Sean having a McQ factor was a determining component for his appointment.

 

[LadyJunon]

I’m hoping that he pulls a Nicholas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga and uses the archives as inspiration. There are so many things that can be easily reinterpreted into something wearable and modern. The brand has a very clear and defined DNA that does not need to be reinvented.

I feel that while McQueen's size and operations are similar to 00s Balenciaga, but the situations are be very different.

When Ghesquière was officially named "Artistic Director of Balenciaga", Balenciaga was a "sleeping beauty" owned by a relatively small company. His predecessors (Goma and Thimister) never managed to catch the eyes of the press and the latest Cristobal's work was 30 years back in the past, allowing him to remold the image Balenciaga to his own whims and tastes, from the shows and campaigns to the collections themselves.

Alexander McQueen, however, is owned by a international corporate that owns 12 other companies along with licences for 5 of Richemont's brands. The work of McGirr's predecessors (McQueen and Burton) is very vividly remembered and the entirety of the brand runway archive is very easily found online. Along with Gucci and Balenciaga struggling and the hatred directed at the recent appointment, Kering probably has a premade brand concept (shows, campaigns, digital, collections) for McGirr to execute.

The longer I'm looking at the eponymous collections of McGirr, the more McQ I can see in those pieces. There's definitely a similar vibe going on, but I'm not sure if it's gonna work well for the McQueen's mainline. I just hope it won't be another ancora at this point.

That was my first grasp as well. His work fits McQ.

My guess is that they wanted a more modern/younger approach but since they closed the line. they wanted to carry McQ's approach to its mainline through Sean. McQ was discontinued in 2022 after the start of its fiscal year and probably during that year, they've decided to move forward without Sarah.

therefore, Sean having a McQ factor was a determining component for his appointment.

A good part of me feels like McGirr's McQueen will go the ways of Michele's Gucci and Demna's Balenciaga. The collections themselves will be composed of more simple, accessible offerings like McQ with a selection of showpieces sprinkled throughout. The shows and campaigns however (especially the styling, hair, makeup, casting, staging, music, video), will be blown up as an attempt to recreate the drama Lee's shows were known for.

I agree it's sad to see gay men engage in arguably homophobic criticisms of him, like calling him a "twink" as a derogatory term.... what the hell?

To be honest, referring to someone with the word "twink" outside of p*rn*gr*phy is really gross. It's like calling someone "milf", "bbw" or "ebony". It's a term that unnecessarily sexualises the person in question.

 

[tourbillions]

i wonder if they ever offered Burton a chance to be their next "it" designer by coming out of her comfort zone and becoming more active in social media. Or if she was never an option for them to do that. If they really wanted, they could have hired a 3rd party to do the theatrics for Burton and it would probably have been closer to the real mcqueen than whatever the future CDs of Mcqueen can come up with. Maybe she stuck to her guns as well and wanted it her way or out of Mcqueen.

 

[VogueDisciple93]

I managed to dig up some of Seàn McGirr's past work. Apparently he had a small label going back in the early 10s.

His BA graduate collection for London College of Fashion:
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Source: Dazed

An eponymous collection from 2012:
View attachment 1237924 View attachment 1237925
Source: Huffington Post

His submission for the Prix Picto de la Mode 2019:
View attachment 1237926 View attachment 1237927 View attachment 1237928 View attachment 1237929 View attachment 1237930 View attachment 1237931 View attachment 1237932 View attachment 1237933
Source: Eye of Photography

Some photography from 2020:
View attachment 1237934 View attachment 1237935 View attachment 1237936
Source: Passepartout Prize

THANK YOU DOING THE LORD’S WORK!

Expectations are low, I’ve not known Kering to ever do a good appointment, but hope he surprises and impresses.

 

[LadyJunon]

i wonder if they ever offered Burton a chance to be their next "it" designer by coming out of her comfort zone and becoming more active in social media. Or if she was never an option for them to do that. If they really wanted, they could have hired a 3rd party to do the theatrics for Burton and it would probably have been closer to the real mcqueen than whatever the future CDs of Mcqueen can come up with. Maybe she stuck to her guns as well and wanted it her way or out of Mcqueen.

They did. Their names were "Gainsbury and Whiting" (Gainsbury & Whiting).

That said, I think that the removal of theatrics was Kering's doing in an attempt to stabilise the brand after Lee's suicide. By marketing Burton as the "boring, safe interim" designer, they made the brand more accessible to those who were interested in AMcQ, but found Lee and his work too difficult to understand and approach. Budget reallocation may have played a role too, considering the discontinuation of menswear shows.

Now that Kering needs a new fashion darling after Michele and Demna, they decided to reposition AMcQ as the "incubator" for that designer. Seeing Gucci and Balenciaga, they've probably decided that would be easier to rebrand AMcQ as a whole, rather than attempt to redirect Burton's tenure to their needs.

 

[RaisinBoy]

Let him do his collection… then we can see properly whats up

 

[Bernie Flood]

Another twink? Good luck.

Lol oh you

 

[Bernie Flood]

Pls don’t Balenciaga AMQ

 

[Joromana]

I think a few people are missing the actual criticism behind his selection. The criticism isn't simply that he's a white male.

The criticism is centered around a no-name w/o real leadership experience being once again given a huge opportunity to lead a major house.
Who happens to look like all of the other recent no-names w/o real leadership experience being selected to lead major houses.

McQueen is a huge name. His promotion wouldn't have received this type of attention if he had, say, been promoted or if he had experience leading a prior team; something more of a lateral move.

Fashion design isn't really a predominantly male-oriented business; it isn't even limited to one racial group. It is actually a pretty decently diverse industry across all sexes and genders, ethnicities, orientations, etc etc etc. Senior designers in the industry aren't all white men.
The question consumers are asking is 'then why does such a diverse industry look the same across the top?'

Personally, I assume they want to pivot this brand slightly towards more streetwewar, so I really have no interest. Just reading the comments, I could see that some are missing the actual point.

 

[lhhbl]

I think a few people are missing the actual criticism behind his selection. The criticism isn't simply that he's a white male.

The criticism is centered around a no-name w/o real leadership experience being once again given a huge opportunity to lead a major house.
Who happens to look like all of the other recent no-names w/o real leadership experience being selected to lead major houses.

McQueen is a huge name. His promotion wouldn't have received this type of attention if he had, say, been promoted or if he had experience leading a prior team; something more of a lateral move.

Fashion design isn't really a predominantly male-oriented business; it isn't even limited to one racial group. It is actually a pretty decently diverse industry across all sexes and genders, ethnicities, orientations, etc etc etc. Senior designers in the industry aren't all white men.
The question consumers are asking is 'then why does such a diverse industry look the same across the top?'

Personally, I assume they want to pivot this brand slightly towards more streetwewar, so I really have no interest. Just reading the comments, I could see that some are missing the actual point.

He was literally head of ready-to-wear at JWA. He has experiencing leading at a higher level

 

[gallianostan]

He was literally head of ready-to-wear at JWA.

so he's not qualified in any way. glad we've established that.

 

[fenty]

I managed to dig up some of Seàn McGirr's past work. Apparently he had a small label going back in the early 10s.

His BA graduate collection for London College of Fashion:
View attachment 1237916 View attachment 1237917 View attachment 1237918 View attachment 1237919 View attachment 1237920 View attachment 1237921 View attachment 1237922 View attachment 1237923
Source: Dazed

An eponymous collection from 2012:
View attachment 1237924 View attachment 1237925
Source: Huffington Post

His submission for the Prix Picto de la Mode 2019:
View attachment 1237926 View attachment 1237927 View attachment 1237928 View attachment 1237929 View attachment 1237930 View attachment 1237931 View attachment 1237932 View attachment 1237933
Source: Eye of Photography

Some photography from 2020:
View attachment 1237934 View attachment 1237935 View attachment 1237936
Source: Passepartout Prize

Thank you for finding his archive I absolutely have no hope, if his debut is fab ill gladly eat my own words

 

[Deleted member 163984]

Just wanted to bump this thread with some insight I’ve received regarding Sean McGirr & his debut collection with Alexander McQueen…

Feb 14th - his social media marketing campaign begins (show cases a dress to look like broken glass)

March 2nd - his first show for Paris fashion week in an abandoned building with broken glass everywhere using some of the same models Lee McQueen used in his shows (Kate Moss?).

From what I’m told Sean is giving us a punk rock, dark version of McQueen, not as romantic as Sarah. The show is set to be pretty theatrical like Lee’s shows. Possibly a new logo as well.

 

[gallianostan]

Just wanted to bump this thread with some insight I’ve received regarding Sean McGirr & his debut collection with Alexander McQueen…

Feb 14th - his social media marketing campaign begins (show cases a dress to look like broken glass)

March 2nd - his first show for Paris fashion week in an abandoned building with broken glass everywhere using some of the same models Lee McQueen used in his shows (Kate Moss?).

From what I’m told Sean is giving us a punk rock, dark version of McQueen, not as romantic as Sarah. The show is set to be pretty theatrical like Lee’s shows. Possibly a new logo as well.

already know i'm gonna hate this.

 

[tourbillions]

any idea whos doing the current pre collection? its a fresher take on burtons mcqueen but definitely doesn't feel like her anymore. Hope its leading us to mcgirr's mcqueen and he doesnt do a full 180 and give us basic punk realness with poor tailoring.