Sean McGirr Is Leaving McQueen After 3 Years

‘Tis the season for creative director departures. Just about an hour after the news of Veronica Leoni’s exit from Calvin Klein Collection broke, Alexander McQueen shared that Seán McGirr will be stepping down from his role at the fashion brand.

“I would like to thank Seán for this contribution and dedication to Alexander McQueen,” Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, said in a statement shared with The Zoe Report. “Our ambition is to establish a bold new direction for the House, building on its unique heritage of exceptional tailoring, uncompromising creativity and rebellion to reaffirm its position as one of the most innovative and culturally relevant voices in luxury.”

The news comes as a surprise to many fashion fans, particularly following McGirr’s headline-making Spring 2027 show and collection presented last month, marking the brand’s return to London Fashion Week after several years on the Paris Fashion Week schedule. “The brand is rooted [in London], and this is where I feel at home,” McGirr wrote in his show notes at the time. Of course, the McQueen brand has a cult following thanks to its beloved founder and original visionary, Lee Alexander McQueen, and his avant-garde, explorative designs that inspired a generation of creatives — including McGirr. For Spring 2027, the 38-year-old embraced the oddities associated with the label’s early days, showing high-neck lace bra tops, chainmail gowns comprising sparkling skulls (an homage to the brand’s signature motif), leather harness-and-choker pieces, and feather-adorned panniers attached to latex strapless gowns.

Overall, the show received acclaim from both devout followers of the McQueen house, fashion editors, and critics alike.

“My vision for Alexander McQueen was grounded in the interplay between raw, visceral, human beauty, and the precision and rigor at the heart of the House,” McGirr wrote in a statement. “I am 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. I leave with profound gratitude for the dedication of the studio and atelier, and craftspeople. I look forward to my next chapter and wish the House every success.”

The Dublin-born designer joined McQueen in December 2023 with big shoes to fill following Sarah Burton’s 13-year tenure at the house. Before leading the British label, McGirr graduated from Central Saint Martins, then went on to work at Dries Van Noten, Burberry, Uniqlo, and JW Anderson. He also previously worked as a writer and photographer in the London fashion scene. During his time at McQueen, he brought in a new wave of celebrity supporters, including Jenna Ortega, Katseye, Margot Robbie, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Zendaya, and more.

“I want to thank Seán personally for everything he has brought to Alexander McQueen. Over the past three years, he has approached the House with great respect for its history while expressing his own vision,” shared Gianfranco D’Attis, president and CEO of Alexander McQueen in a press release. “His talent and passion have helped us reconnect Alexander McQueen with London, its culture, and its extraordinary creative energy. I am deeply grateful to Seán and to the teams for their commitment, creativity, and contribution to the house.”

While McGirr’s next career move is yet to be determined, McQueen shared that the house will “soon announce its new creative leadership.”