Fashion’s season of change has picked up speed. Only days after Anthony Vaccarello’s departure from Saint Laurent, two more major houses announced on Thursday 15 October that they are losing their creative directors: Veronica Leoni is leaving Calvin Klein, and Seán McGirr is stepping down at McQueen. Vanity Fair Italia called it a double earthquake at the top of the fashion system, and the news was confirmed the same day by the brands themselves.
Veronica Leoni and Calvin Klein Collection
The Rome-born designer was appointed in May 2024 to lead the revived Calvin Klein Collection, becoming the first woman to hold the role. Her debut, for autumn/winter 2025, was shown in New York in February 2025 and brought the label back to the runway after a long break that followed Raf Simons’ exit in 2018. In all she designed four collections, and her final show came little more than a month ago. According to WWD and Vogue, the brand and Leoni will part ways when her current contract ends, with new creative leadership for Collection to be announced in due course.
David Savman, global brand president of Calvin Klein, thanked Leoni for her vision and said her fresh take on the house’s signature codes had built real momentum. Before Calvin Klein, she worked in the design teams at Jil Sander, Phoebe Philo’s Céline, Moncler and The Row, and she founded her own label, Quira, which made her a finalist for the LVMH Prize in 2023.
Seán McGirr and McQueen
Kering, which owns McQueen, announced that the Dublin-born designer will leave the house where he succeeded Sarah Burton in 2023. McGirr, who joined from JW Anderson, said his vision rested on the meeting point between raw human beauty and the precision of McQueen’s tailoring, and thanked the studio, the atelier and the craftspeople. Kering’s chief executive Luca de Meo spoke of a bold new direction built on the house’s heritage of exceptional tailoring, creativity and rebellion. TheIndustry.fashion notes that McQueen recently returned its shows to London and is reshaping its business, so the next designer is expected to make their debut in the British capital.
What stays when the designers change
Whoever arrives next, both houses are known for the same thing: a clear signature. Calvin Klein stands for clean, pared-back lines; McQueen for sharp tailoring with a dramatic edge. The same idea works for your own jewellery. A minimal look comes alive with simple earrings or a single piece from our pendant necklaces, while a sharper outfit can carry layered bracelets or a bold stone from our men’s rings. For an easy finish, coordinated jewellery sets take the guesswork out.
Sources: Vanity Fair Italia (Chiara Da Col, 15 October 2026); WWD; Vogue; W Magazine; FashionUnited; Kering press release; TheIndustry.fashion.
