McQueen creative director Seán McGirr is leaving the luxury fashion house after three years.

The Dublin-born designer, who joined in October 2023, is stepping down just weeks after McQueen returned to London Fashion Week for its spring/summer 2027 collection.

Kering confirmed the departure on October 15 and said new creative leadership would be announced soon.

McGirr succeeded Sarah Burton, who spent 26 years at the fashion house, including 13 as creative director.

Before joining McQueen, he was head of ready-to-wear at JW Anderson and previously held roles at Dries Van Noten, Burberry and Uniqlo.

His final collection was presented at London’s Lincoln’s Inn Chapel on September 20, marking the brand’s return to the capital after years of showing in Paris.

Kering chief executive Luca de Meo thanked McGirr for his contribution, adding that the group planned to establish “a bold new direction for the House”.

McQueen president and chief executive Gianfranco D’Attis said the designer had helped reconnect the brand with London and its creative culture.

McGirr said he was proud of the work achieved during his tenure and thanked the studio, atelier and craftspeople for their dedication.

McQueen is undergoing a major turnaround programme aimed at restoring profitability and reducing its global retail footprint.

Kering previously outlined plans to halve the brand’s store estate by the end of 2026 compared with the previous year, having already closed 20 stores during the first half.

The shake-up follows the appointment of former Prada boss D’Attis as McQueen chief executive in June, as the luxury house looks to strengthen its positioning and improve financial performance.

Kering’s 2025 results showed that losses at McQueen continued to weigh on the profitability of its wider portfolio of smaller luxury brands, despite restructuring efforts

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