Sarah Burton

Sarah Jane Burton (née Heard; born 1974) is an English fashion designer, who recently left the Alexander McQueen fashion house after more than two decades as the creative director. Her most notable design would be the wedding dress of Catherine Middleton for her wedding to Prince William in 2011. In 2012, she was named in Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world according to Time. Early life Burton was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, one of five children of Anthony and Diana Heard. She attended Withington Girls' School in Manchester. After completing an art foundation course at Manchester Polytechnic, and opting to pursue fashion over studies in fine art, she studied Print Fashion at the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. During her third year she was interviewed for a year's placement at Alexander McQueen at the suggestion of her tutor Simon Ungless, a friend of McQueen's. She joined the company for a year as an intern, when the company was based in a tiny studio in Hoxton Square. Fashion career Upon her graduation in 1997, Burton joined Alexander McQueen full-time. Burton was appointed Head of Womenswear in 2000, during which time she created dresses for Cate Blanchett, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow. Following McQueen's death in February 2010, and after company owner Gucci confirmed that the brand would continue, Burton was named as the new Creative Director of Alexander McQueen in May 2010. In October 2010, Burton presented her first show in Paris.