McQueen and Calvin Klein lose lead designers within hours

Alexander McQueen and Calvin Klein lost their lead designers within hours.

The timing was tight. Alexander McQueen, the house based in London, parted ways with creative director Seán McGirr. Calvin Klein revealed the departure of designer Veronica Leoni. McQueen's announcement came shortly after Calvin Klein's on the same Thursday, 15 October.

Kering, the parent company of McQueen, announced McGirr's exit on 15 October. Its official statement said McGirr will leave his role as creative director, the designer who sets the look of a house's collections Kering. McGirr had succeeded Sarah Burton in the post. He had joined McQueen from JW Anderson, the fashion house where he had been head of menswear.

PVH Corp., the parent company of Calvin Klein, confirmed Leoni's departure the same day. Leoni had served as creative director of Calvin Klein for two years. PVH has used a release titled "PVH Corp. Announces Leadership Update" for news concerning Leoni and Calvin Klein. Both parent organisations said new creative leadership for McQueen and Calvin Klein will be named soon WWD.

The design changes sit inside wider management change. Luca de Meo became chief executive officer of Kering in September 2025. Gianfranco D'Attis was named president and chief executive of McQueen. The house sells much of its clothing through its own shops, known as direct-to-consumer, as well as through other stores. The parting with McGirr came amid layoffs and a downsizing of its retail network, the shops the brand runs itself WWD.

What makes this stand out is the pairing. Two exits. Two different markets. One afternoon. For fans, this means a short wait for names. Those appointments will decide who designs the next collections, the new ranges of clothes shown ahead of each selling season, and who sets the tone in the workrooms behind them.