For more updates about the The BoF 500 subscribe to the Daily Digest newsletter

For more updates about the The BoF 500 subscribe to the Daily Digest newsletter

{alt missing} Steven Meisel

Clare Waight Keller

Former Artistic Director, Givenchy

She began her design career at Calvin Klein and Gucci before reimagining Chloé and moving on to Givenchy, where she served as artistic director.

Biography

Clare Waight Keller was Givenchy’s first female artistic director. It was announced that she would succeed Riccardo Tisci at the house in March 2017. Prior to this appointment she held a creative directorship at Chloé, where she was praised for her easy 1970s-inspired, feminine aesthetic which was a commercial success.

Waight Keller studied for her BA at Ravensbourne College of Art. She gained her Masters in Fashion Knitwear at the Royal College of Art. Calvin Klein hired Waight Keller from university on the strength of her graduate collection. Starting out as a designer for CK Calvin Klein, Waight Keller was soon promoted to designing for the women’s mainline collection. She remained at Calvin Klein for four years before moving to Ralph Lauren to take up the position of head designer of Men’s Purple Label.

She was tapped by Tom Ford to work at Gucci alongside Christopher Bailey and Francisco Costa as a senior designer in 2000, where she would remain until being appointed creative director of Pringle of Scotland. Waight Keller’s creative directorship would see the designer completely rebrand heritage knitwear label to great critical acclaim.

Clare Waight Keller was named creative director of Chloé in May 2011, replacing Hannah MacGibbon. Her romantic yet mature designs manage to be true to the house’s codes whilst remaining current, and have brought a new sense of vitality to the Parisian house, not seen since Phoebe Philo was creative director.

In March 2017, Waight Keller was appointed as artistic director of Givenchy. The announcement came a month after Richemont-owned Chloé confirmed the creative director would depart the brand with her final collection being for the house's Autumn/Winter 2017 season. Her artistic directorship encompassed both men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories collections; haute couture collections; the brand’s global image; and childrenswear and sunglasses lines. One of her high-profile moves was designing Meghan Markle's dress for her wedding to Prince Harry. 

Waight Keller stepped down from her position at Givenchy in April 2020 after three years at the helm.

Waight Keller was honoured with the Scottish Fashion Award for Scottish Cashmere Designer of the Year in 2007; in 2016 she took home the Editor’s Choice of the Year accolade at the Elle Style Awards, while in 2018 she won the British designer of the year womenswear award at the Fashion Awards.

Career

Givenchy

Givenchy

Artistic Director

2017 - Present

Paris, France

Chloé

Chloé

Creative Director

2011 - 2017

Paris, France

Pringle of Scotland

Pringle of Scotland

Creative Director

2005 - 2011

Paris, France

Gucci

Gucci

Senior Designer

2000 - 2005

Milan, Italy

Education

Royal College of Art

Royal College of Art

Vital Statistics

Nationality

United Kingdom

Location
France
Member since
2013

Similar Profiles

Christopher Bailey

Former President & Chief Creative Officer, Burberry

Peter Copping

Former Creative Director, Oscar de la Renta

Francisco Costa

Former Creative Director Womenswear, Calvin Klein

Daniella Vitale

CEO North America, Salvatore Ferragamo


What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.