Sarah Burton announced yesterday (11 September) that she is bowing down from her post as creative director at Alexander McQueen. After more than two decades at the fashion house, the 49-year-old designer’s last outing will take place during the spring/ summer 2024 Paris shows later this month.

“I am so proud of everything I’ve done and of my incredible team at Alexander McQueen,” Burton says. “They are my family, and this has been my home for the past 26 years.”

During her tenure at the brand, Burton has continued the legacy of visionary couturier Lee Alexander McQueen, boasting striking iterations of the iconic bumster pant, exceptionally tailored suiting and high-octane gowns.

In 2011, she was declared the British Fashion Council’s designer of the year for her bold and disturbing creations.

Experimenting with avante-garde shapes, textures and proportions, Burton is perhaps best known for her extraordinary dresses, with the Princess of Wales and Nicole Kidman seen wearing her creations.

In celebration of her time at McQueen, Stylist reflects on some of her most memorable fashion moments. 

The satin gazar gown worn by Kate Middleton to tie the knot to Prince William in 2011 was Burton’s brainchild. The dress – which included a delectable nine-foot train and the most divine lace detailing – was carefully constructed by over 30 garment workers and took a year to finish.

Burton also designed Kate’s wedding reception gown, a sophisticated strapless satin number with draped diamanté belt and sumptuous angora.

Burton’s designs are a perfect fit for royalty. The princess has used Burton’s McQueen ever since, relying on her exceptional designs and craftsmanship to carry her through a slew of high-profile royal events with grace and ease. Most notably, Kate donned a black coat dress with a Philip Treacy hat and veil at the Queen’s funeral last year. 

Beyond the carriages and palaces, Burton’s designs have also graced the red carpets. In 2016, Cate Blanchett rocked up to the Baftas wearing a custom-made embellished dress with cascading beaded flowers and a black-feathered skirt. A favourite in her archives, the actor recycled the look four years later at the Venice Film Festival. Inspired by Spitalfields silk, the designer altered the dress into a chic pantsuit by incorporating the heavily ornamented details. 

Celestial matter meets high-octane glamour in this custom-made dress worn by Nicole Kidman at the 2016 Met Gala. Burton looked towards a sheer version that was presented during the label’s autumn/winter 2016 catwalk show. With glittering moon and star motifs, a floor-grazing cosmic cape and contemporary cut-outs, Kidman looked stunning. 

A long-time fan and friend of the late Lee McQueen, it’s no surprise to see Lady Gaga sporting Burton’s work for the house. During the A Star Is Born press tour, Lady Gaga faced the flashbulbs in a spellbinding Shakespearean-inspired dress with billowing off-the-shoulder sleeves, a full tufted skirt and a frilly white ruff. The look was taken from McQueen’s 2013 collection, which played homage to Elizabeth I and religious iconography.

Burton’s exceptional creations have even scored points in the White House. The former first lady turned heads wearing a red gown that pooled at the floor with exaggerated ruching and black floral print detailing. 

Images: courtesy of Getty