British designer Clare Waight Keller has been appointed as Creative Director of Uniqlo.
Waight Keller, known for her previous roles as creative director at LVMH-owned Givenchy and Richemont’s Chloé, has been designing the Uniqlo: C womenswear line since 2023. With an impressive career that includes leadership positions at Pringle of Scotland, Chloé, and Givenchy, she will now expand her role to lead Uniqlo’s mainline collection, including menswear, starting from the Autumn/Winter 2024 season.
Waight Keller gained widespread recognition in 2018 for designing Meghan Markle’s wedding dress when she became the Duchess of Sussex.
Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president, and CEO of Fast Retailing, Uniqlo’s parent company, expressed his enthusiasm for the appointment:
“We are proud to welcome Clare Waight Keller as Creative Director of Uniqlo. Her exceptional originality and extensive experience, combined with her keen understanding of consumer needs, make her the ideal choice to further evolve LifeWear, our ultimate everyday wear, into something even more enriching for our customers.”
Yukihiro Katsuta, Fast Retailing Group Senior Executive Officer and Head of R&D for Uniqlo, added:
“Clare Waight Keller’s work with Uniqlo: C has demonstrated her unique ability to balance creativity and commercial success. Her aesthetic sensibility and deep understanding of design will significantly enhance the Uniqlo LifeWear brand.”
