Back in August 2023, Clare Waight Keller was announced as the creative force behind Uniqlo: C. The anticipated collection in collaboration with the Japanese fashion retailer (boasting a total of 30 looks) dropped one month later in September. Prior to the British designer’s appointment at Uniqlo, Clare Waight Keller’s last high profile fashion gig was as the first female creative director of Givenchy (where from 2017 until 2020 she was the artistic director of haute couture and ready-to-wear for women and men). Today, the 2018 recipient of the British Fashion Award’s Womenswear Designer of the Year is announced as the lead creative director of Uniqlo, further cementing her relationship with the brand. Clare is set to design the mainline fashion collections for men and women, and will start with a collection for the Fall/Winter 2024 season.
Read below the reactions of theFashionSpot’s forum members:
“It’s giving Zac Posen for Gap Inc. I guess less random than Zac x Gap considering Clare Waight Keller already did the C line with Uniqlo.” [rowjellies]
“I love all the Uniqlo callabs because they actually work well as separates. Also thank god they let Clare Waight Keller do menswear. I own a bag from her last collection and literally everyone complimented it.” [TaylorBinque]
“I don’t understand this appointment. Uniqlo does not need a public creative director. I cherish Uniqlo for its non-Eurocentric point of view – it’s created mainly in response to the need, trends, styles, and body types of Japan. I’m not sure how Clare can tap into that organic POV.” [J02215]
“I agree this won’t work and it will be a waste of money. If I want COS or Arket-looking clothes, I go to those places. The Clare Waight Keller C collection had many leftover stock in my city. The knits are super itchy and stiff, the fit is extremely unflattering.” [TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]
Share your own thoughts on Clare Waight Keller becoming Uniqlo creative director over on theFashionSpot forums, here.
