Sarah Burton, Who Designed Kate’s Royal Wedding Dress, to Step Down from Alexander McQueen 

Sarah Burton arrives for the British Fashion Awards 2011 at a central London venue, on Nov. 28, 2011. (AP)
Sarah Burton arrives for the British Fashion Awards 2011 at a central London venue, on Nov. 28, 2011. (AP)
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Sarah Burton, Who Designed Kate’s Royal Wedding Dress, to Step Down from Alexander McQueen 

Sarah Burton arrives for the British Fashion Awards 2011 at a central London venue, on Nov. 28, 2011. (AP)
Sarah Burton arrives for the British Fashion Awards 2011 at a central London venue, on Nov. 28, 2011. (AP)

The fashion designer who created the wedding dress of Kate, the Princess of Wales, is stepping down as creative director at Alexander McQueen after two decades at the brand, luxury group Kering said Monday.

Designer Sarah Burton had led the fashion house since 2010 and previously worked with the brand's founder, Lee Alexander McQueen, for 14 years.

Burton took over as creative director of the fashion house after McQueen took his own life at age 40.

Kering, the luxury group behind brands including Gucci and Saint Laurent as well as Alexander McQueen, said McQueen's spring and summer catwalk show in Paris this month will be the last with Burton at the helm.

Burton was behind the ivory lace wedding gown that the former Kate Middleton wore when she married Prince William in 2011. The elegant gown has since been widely copied and is often named as one of the most popular styles favored by brides all over the world.

Burton was awarded with an Order of the British Empire in 2012 for her services to the fashion industry.

Senior leaders at Kering praised Burton for leaving an “indelible mark” with her vision and creativity.

“She kept and continued Lee’s heritage, attention to detail and unique vision, while adding her own personal, highly creative touch,” said François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, in a statement.

The fashion house did not give details about who will replace Burton.



Zalando Reports 18.5% Jump in Q2 Operating Profit

The logo of fashion retailer Zalando is pictured at the new headquarters in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2019. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion retailer Zalando is pictured at the new headquarters in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2019. (Reuters)
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Zalando Reports 18.5% Jump in Q2 Operating Profit

The logo of fashion retailer Zalando is pictured at the new headquarters in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2019. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion retailer Zalando is pictured at the new headquarters in Berlin, Germany, April 10, 2019. (Reuters)

Online fashion marketplace Zalando reported an 18.5% rise in its operating profit for the second quarter on Tuesday, helped by inventory management and lower order fulfilment costs, as its sports, designer and beauty segments drove growth.

Zalando has focused on higher-priced brands and the growing sportswear category, along with scaling up its partner business, as it faces competition from fast-fashion retailers with cheaper offerings such as Shein.

Quarterly adjusted earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose to 171.6 million euros ($187.9 million) from 144.8 million in the same period last year, Zalando said.

Its qross merchandise volume (GMV) - a key revenue metric measuring the total value of all goods sold - rose 2.8% on the year to 3.8 billion euros in the second quarter, while revenue was up 3.4% at 2.6 billion euros.

Zalando also said Chief Financial Officer Sandra Dembeck had decided not to renew her contract beyond the current term ending on Feb. 28, 2025.