Clare Waight Keller leaves Givenchy: the designer behind Meghan Markle's wedding dress exits fashion house

Her successor is yet to be announced

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Clare Waight Keller is to leave Givenchy after three years as creative director, the fashion house announced on Friday, April 10.

The maison announced the news on its social media, saying: "The House of Givenchy and Clare Waight Keller announce the end of their collaboration. Givenchy wants to warmly thank Clare Waight Keller for her creative leadership, in contribution to our latest chapter."

Click through the gallery above to see some of the red carpet highlights from Waight Keller's time at Givenchy. 

The announcement came with a statement from Sidney Toledano, the LVMH Fashion Group chief executive. As well as Givenchy, the LVMH group owns a number of high-end brands, including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Celine.

epa07881090 British designer Clare Waight Keller takes part to the audience after her show for Givenchy label brand for the Spring/Summer 2020 Ready to Wear collection during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 29 September 2019. The presentation of the Women's Spring/Summer 2020 collections runs from 23 September to 01 October 2019.  EPA-EFE/CAROLINE BLUMBERG
  British designer Clare Waight Keller walks runway after her show for Givenchy Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France on September 29, 2019. EPA

"I want to warmly thank Clare Waight Keller for her contribution to Givenchy's latest chapter," Toledano said.

"Under her creative leadership, and in great collaboration with its ateliers and teams, the maison reconnected with the founding values of Hubert de Givenchy and his innate sense of elegance."

It is not yet clear what Waight Keller will do next and her successor is yet to be announced.

On her own social media, she wrote: "After three truly wonderful years, the time has come to close my chapter at Givenchy.
"As the first woman to be the artistic director of this legendary maison, I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to cherish its legacy and bring it new life."

She also paid tribute to the "unsung heroes and heroines behind the scenes", saying: "Without all of you, I could not have brought my vision for Givenchy to life in such a beautiful way."

FILE PHOTO: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle after their wedding.  Saturday May 19, 2018.  Neil Hall/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle after their wedding. Reuters

Waight Keller is best known as the designer behind the Duchess of Sussex's wedding dress. She created the boat-necked, sculpted dress that Markle wore for her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, featuring a five-metre (16-foot) train embroidered with flowers from all 53 Commonwealth countries.

Previously, Waight Keller made her name by turning Pringle of Scotland from a knitwear maker into a fashion brand.

She has also worked for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and for Tom Ford at Gucci. She joined Givenchy after six years at the helm at Chloe.