Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, July 2012
A reminder that fashion is in a constant state of flux is the unexpected news that Sarah Burton will be leaving Alexander McQueen after more than 25 years with the company. She started at the house in 1997 and was tasked with leading the company after McQueen’s tragic death in 2010. Never one for the spotlight, Burton respected the heritage of the house at the same time that she left her own mark, which was softer.
For McQueen, fashion could be a sort of catharsis, a working out of trauma; Burton seemed to be starting from a calmer, more grounded place. That’s not to say her work couldn’t be hard-edged or dark, but it was as if she had opened the windows at the house of McQueen to let in the light and the wind. The romance of her vision inspired photographs as transporting as her work.
Yoon Young Bae in an Alexander McQueen dress Photographed by Cho Gi Seok, Vogue, March 20231/28
Meadow Walker in an Alexander McQueen jacket, top, skirt, and boots Photographed by Ethan Green, Vogue, March 20222/28
Hailey Bieber in an Alexander McQueen jacket Photographed by Stefan D. Ruiz, Vogue, August 20213/28
Paloma Elsesser in an Alexander McQueen denim dress Photographed by Stefan D. Ruiz, Vogue, May 20214/28
Adut Akech in a ruffled Alexander McQueen top Photographed by Ethan Green, Vogue, May 20215/28
Patrycja Piekarska in an Alexander McQueen lace dress Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, March 20206/28
Vittoria Ceretti in an Alexander McQueen jacket, lace-trimmed shirt, and pants Photographed by Daniel Jackson, Vogue, March 20207/28
Ugbad Abdi, Indira Scott, and Abby Champion in Alexander McQueen Photographed by Stefan D. Ruiz, Vogue, January 20208/28
Phoebe Waller-Bridge in an Alexander McQueen jacket, dress, and shoes Photographed by Ethan Green, Vogue, December 20199/28
Scarlett Johansson in an Alexander McQueen top and pants Photographed by Mikael Jansson, Vogue, April 201910/28
Claire Foy in an Alexander McQueen dress and gloves Photographed by Tim Walker, Vogue, December 201711/28
Claire Foy in an Alexander McQueen jacket, skirt, and boots Photographed by Tim Walker, Vogue, December 201712/28
Rooney Mara in an Alexander McQueen dress with medieval motifs Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, October 201713/28
Mike Faist, in an Alexander McQueen tailcoat, trousers, rings, and sneakers, with Gigi Hadid in an Alexander McQueen leather coat, embroidered jeans, earring, and boots Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier, Vogue, April 201714/28
Zoë Kravitz in an Alexander McQueen dress, earrings, and necklace Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier, Vogue, May 201615/28
Alicia Vikander in an embroidered leather dress by Alexander McQueen Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, January 201616/28
Alicia Vikander in Alexander McQueen Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, January 201617/28
Alexander McQueen wood-platform clogs and silk-jacquard dress Photographed by Willy Vanderperre, Vogue, March 201618/28
Lily Aldridge in an Alexander McQueen mink-and-shredded-chiffon coat Photographed by Willy Vanderperre, Vogue, October 201519/28
Liya Kebede wears an Alexander McQueen organza dress. Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, September 201520/28
Fei Fei Sun and Xiao Wen in Alexander McQueen dresses Photographed by Colin Dodgson, Vogue, 201521/28
Rihanna in an Alexander McQueen crocodile bra top, laser-cut leather skirt, gold cloche hat, cuffs, choker, and harness Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, March 201422/28
Karlie Kloss in a pearl-embellished coatdress by Alexander McQueen with Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk Photographed by Craig McDean, Vogue, August 201323/28
Kati Nescher wears a tiered pleated organza dress and mirrored visor by Alexander McQueen. Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, July 201224/28
Kate Moss in an Alexander McQueen lace-bustier jacquard dress and lace boots, made for Vogue Photographed by Tim Walker, Vogue, April 201225/28
Charlize Theron in a silver glass-and-metal-beaded dress by Alexander McQueen
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, December 201126/28
Arizona Muse, in an embroidered tulle-and-pleated organza dress by Alexander McQueen, with Jeremy Irvine Photographed by David Sims, Vogue, November 201127/28
Sarah Burton Photographed by Eric Boman, Vogue, July 201128/28
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
