When Sarah Burton announced she was stepping down as creative director of Alexander McQueen this year, she left big shoes to fill. Burton, who designed the Princess of Wales’s wedding dress, had led the brand for 13 years, making it one of the most popular British fashion houses. When Seán McGirr was announced as her replacement in October, though his talent was never in question, his appointment meant that all the creative directors at Kering – the group that owns McQueen – were now white men.
Following McGirr’s appointment a picture – or grid of pictures – started doing the rounds in fashion circles, showing the faces of the six men who worked at Kering, which also owns Gucci, Saint Laurent and Balenciaga. With it came a conversation about who gets to ascend to the top jobs – the creative directorships of the big houses. These are the most visible roles, the public-facing side of an industry full of faceless cogs.
