Clare Waight Keller Is Givenchy's First Female Designer

Clare Waight Keller will helm Givenchy as its artistic director.

The british designer replaces Riccardo Tisci who left the brand in February after 12 years. Waight Keller, held the role of creative director for six years at Chloe, which was succeeded by Louis Vuitton's Natacha Ramsay-Levi.

She is the first woman designer at Givenchy and the second woman to be appointed as the artistic director of a LVMH fashion house, before her, Maria Grazia Chiuri became the first female couturier at Dior.

After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, Waight Keller worked at Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, and later became senior designer at Gucci alongside Tom Ford. In 2005 she was appointed creative director of Pringle of Scotland, a position she then left in 2011 to become creative director at Chloe.

'I am very happy to have Clare Waight Keller join the LVMH Group. I believe her widespread expertise and vision will allow Givenchy to enter the next phase of its unique path. I am very much looking forward to her contribution to the Maison's continued success,' Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH said in a press release.

'Hubert de Givenchy's confident style has always been an inspiration and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this legendary House's history. I look forward to working with the teams and writing a new chapter in this beautiful story,' Waight Keller said of her appointment.

Effective May 2nd 2017, she will take on all creative responsibilities, including Women's and Men's Ready-to-wear and accessories collections, as well as Haute Couture. Her first collection for the House will be presented in October in Paris, for Spring/Summer 2018.

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