Chloé, Givenchy, and now Uniqlo: Clare Waight Keller knows what the future of fashion looks like

The British designer ruled haute couture. Now she’s set her sights on retail in her new role as Uniqlo’s creative director.

British designer Clare Waight Keller’s move to Uniqlo, the Japanese mass market clothing brand, draws some stark contrasts. Coming most recently from Givenchy as its artistic director, her designs at the Maison were rarified gems. The luxury pieces exemplified craft, with sculptural gowns assembled from layers of fabric like curving peony petals; slouchy suiting made from patterns reminiscent of the strong shouldered-silhouettes Hubert de Givenchy himself was known for; wool with hand feel that could be sensed simply from its weighty undulations down the runway.