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Designer Sarah Burton is a woman who knows about pressure.
Taking the helm at the major LVMH-owned fashion house is no mean feat – but then neither is designing the Princess of Wales’ wedding dress.
But on Friday, the celebrated Macclesfield-born fashion designer proved she can more than handle it.
Sunny pops of lemon, oversized tailoring and super-high halter-necks defined Burton’s first phenomenal Givenchy show.
The 51-year-old was formerly at Alexander McQueen – where she was creative director for 13 years – and in September seamlessly stepped into the role vacated by American designer Matthew Williams at Givenchy.
The women’s ready-to-wear show for autumn/winter 2025-26 helped kick off a killer list of Friday shows at Paris Fashion Week (March 3-11), including Issey Miyake, Kenzo and Victoria Beckham.
The show took place at the opulent Givenchy House, the brand’s headquarters, in Paris.
Outside, British singer-songwriter Raye arrived in a short red-belted black dress that shimmered with large, translucent sequins, and very chic sunglasses, while American actress Rooney Mara appeared severe in a sharply tailored black suit jacket and slicked-back hair.
Vanessa Kirby, who played Princess Margaret in The Crown, also wore black, with a long structured coat hanging over her shoulders, a plunging black gown beneath, with black leather gloves and large geometric sunnies, which were absolutely necessary in the glinting Parisian sunlight.
Inside, the models walked through a maze of stark white rooms and up a spiral staircase with black, wrought-iron detailing – we spotted at least one model having to hitch up her gown to avoid toppling up the steps.
And the clothes were stunning. Clean, sleek and bold, it was all about big shoulders and hips, with huge buff-coloured trench coats that nipped in at the waist, double-breasted blazers with balloon sleeves fastened over flowing, relaxed trousers with cut-outs.
Where the tailoring was rakish but smart, the dresses were full of fun.
There were super-short, structured minis that were frou-frou without being fussy, full-length net dresses in black, white and yellow, with tutu fringing on the bottom, and a whole sequence of outfits that felt inspired by kimonos – think sash ties, big folded satin bows and intricate embroidery.
Burton’s designs at McQueen – where she was late founder Lee Alexander McQueen’s protege and right-hand woman – have been revered for their romanticism and meticulous attention to tailoring.
For Givenchy, the tailoring was still exquisite, some necklines were incredibly high, with slinky halter-necks up to just below models’ ears and chins, and leather on leather got seriously grown-up and ultra-feminine – even a pouffy leather bomber jacket.
Every white shirt that appeared was the epitome of precision, and it was good to see that the models themselves were as varied in shape and size as the range of silhouettes Burton showcased.
Burton is probably best known beyond the fashion world for designing the Princess of Wales’ wedding dress (remember those lace arms! That train!) and Pippa Middleton’s maid-of-honour outfit (the satin scoop neck!) and several dresses in this collection were pure white and big-skirted.
The standout finale gown though, had serious bridal vibes in style, but went punchy on the colour.
A beautiful strapless meringue of netting and tulle in that lemon yellow, that hit just above the ankle – above a set of fluffy black strappy sandals – it had volume combined with a sharp silhouette, but still managed to look light and airy to wear.
Accessories-wise, black PVC boots emblazoned with zip backs and Givenchy branding in white, huge gobstopper-size, dangling jewel earring vied for space with giant silver discs and heavy, widescreen black sunglasses.
We can’t wait to see how the high-street copies the lot.
