McQueen and Calvin Klein: Two Departures, One Question

Seán McGirr and Veronica Leoni are leaving McQueen and Calvin Klein Collection, raising questions about creative continuity and the time needed to build a vision.

On October 15, Alexander McQueen and Calvin Klein announced the departures of their creative directors. Seán McGirr is leaving after three years, while Veronica Leoni’s tenure spans four runway seasons.

The announcements bring two distinct projects to a turning point. At McQueen, the task involved interpreting an established house with a fiercely recognisable identity. At Calvin Klein Collection, it meant rebuilding a runway presence after years away.

Seán McGirr’s Chapter at McQueen

McGirr joined Alexander McQueen in 2023. His approach explored the relationship between raw beauty and precise construction, drawing on London’s creative culture. That connection became central to how the house described his contribution.

In its announcement, Kering outlined plans for a new creative direction. Tailoring, craftsmanship and rebellion remain central to that ambition. The next appointment will therefore face a familiar challenge: giving those qualities a contemporary expression.

Veronica Leoni and the Return of Collection

Calvin Klein appointed Leoni in May 2024 to lead Collection’s return. Her February 2025 debut brought the label back to the runway after a seven-year absence. Four seasons later, the brand announced that their collaboration would end with her current contract.

Calvin Klein has confirmed that Collection will continue. The departure therefore leaves an ongoing project for the next creative leader: developing the runway line’s identity and its place within the wider brand.

How Long Does a Creative Vision Need?

A first collection introduces a designer’s intentions. Subsequent seasons offer opportunities to refine proportions, revisit ideas and respond to how people wear the clothes. Casting, campaigns and styling also help an audience recognise the emerging identity.

However, time alone cannot determine whether an appointment succeeds. Designers need clear objectives, capable teams and support for production and distribution. Judging a tenure means considering the conditions around the work, alongside the collections themselves.

What Comes After the Announcement?

The two departures do not establish a shared explanation for why these collaborations ended. They do, however, invite closer attention to what each brand expects its next creative leader to achieve.

For FP Runway, the next collections will be worth reading through that lens. Which ideas will carry forward? Which will disappear? And how clearly will each house communicate the direction it wants to pursue?

A new appointment will supply a name. The seasons that follow will show how that designer and the house work together to build a lasting identity.