Seán McGirr joined Oliver Callan on RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss his recent work dressing stars like Kylie Jenner, Barry Keoghan and Chappell Roan. Listen back here.
Dubliner Seán McGirr, creative director of McQueen, has carved out an impressive career for himself in the fashion industry.
Having recently presented a beautiful Fall/Winter 2026-2027 show at Paris Fashion Week, he then went on to dress Kylie Jenner and Barry Keoghan for the 2026 Oscars, as well as Zendaya for an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!
“We dressed Kylie Jenner, Barry Keoghan, and Zendaya in the last 48 hours,” he told Oliver, speaking from the McQueen studio in London. “It’s not been very chill but all exciting at the same time!”
“Zendaya is the first person to wear the new collection, which we just showed in Paris,” he continued. “I’m still kind of confused as to how we got the clothes over to her in such a short space of time, but it happened.”
Growing up “on the DART line”, the creative was raised the eldest of three children and enjoyed home life in Dublin until the age of 19, when he moved to London once he sat the Leaving Cert.
“I actually used to tailor my school uniform because I didn’t like the fit,” he says of school days.
“I had a very old sewing machine, and it was kind of the era of mid-2000s. You had bands like the Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines and stuff, so it was all about sharp and skinny clothes.”
“I was probably 15 or 16, and I really didn’t like the fit so I just sharpened them and made them slimmer – probably really badly,” he laughs.
McGirr’s heritage is never far from his mind while he works, and Irish mythology has made its way into his designs.
In 2025, the designer created a custom piece for Chappell Roan to wear while performing in Mexico City. The layers of white lace, he says, were inspired by the Banshee.
“She really understands the story of the Banshee, and she really brought it to life,” he says of Chappell.
Other celebrity clients include Barry Keoghan, Lana Del Rey, Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Teyana Taylor, Charli XCX, Zoe Saldana and Margot Robbie.
“I’m inspired by them, hopefully they’re inspired by me, and then you create something beautiful together,” he says of the creative process. “That’s when it’s the best, and it’s really exciting.”
McGirr’s designs were recently spotted at the Vanity Fair Oscars After Party, with both Barry Keoghan and Kylie Jenner opting for his designs.
“I don’t think that suit is even out yet,” he says of Barry’s look. “It’s from the next men’s collection. He’s wearing a kind of embroidered lapel suit.”
“It’s nice for me as Barry is a fellow Dubliner, so it means a lot,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Kylie Jenner was dressed in a structural masterpiece, covered in ‘feathers’ made of chiffon. The look took months to put together, with fittings happening in both London and LA.
“She’s very specific about what she likes,” he explains. “She’s really into the details, so it’s a real pleasure to fit on her, actually, because you can have a really good conversation about the clothes with her.”