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Burton is former Alexander McQueen designer

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Designed Kate Middleton's 2011 wedding dress

(Adds industry context in paragraphs 6-8, background on CEO in

paragraphs 11-12)

By Mimosa Spencer

PARIS, Sept 9 (Reuters) - French luxury goods company

LVMH named on Monday Sarah Burton, the

longtime-Alexander McQueen designer behind the Princess of

Wales' 2011 wedding dress, as the new creative director for its

Givenchy label.

The choice of the seasoned British designer, who joins

Givenchy after nearly three decades at rival Kering's

Alexander McQueen label, signals a new aesthetic direction for

the label, filling a role covered by design teams since the end

of last year.

Her predecessor, Matthew M. Williams, left Givenchy in

December after three years. Known for his streetwear approach,

Williams had mixed hoodies into lineups of sharp tailoring on

the Paris catwalk, and embellished bags and shoes with prominent

zippers and extra straps.

Burton, a famously discrete designer with a loyal following

and strong design credentials, is known for flattering,

deconstructed styles at McQueen, and carrying on the legacy of

the label's founder, Lee McQueen following his death.

She had worked alongside him for 14 years before becoming

creative director in 2010.

Her appointment at the French fashion house, founded in 1952

by Hubert de Givenchy, comes as the fashion industry grapples

with a global downturn in spending by luxury shoppers,

particularly in China, where a property crisis has dampened

appetite for high-end goods.

Wealthy shoppers have become pickier, and are favouring more

classic styles over flashier, streetwear looks.

Givenchy is known for sparking the idea of the perfect

"little black dress" as a wardrobe staple, after designing a

gown worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film "Breakfast at

Tiffany's."

Kering late last year, as part of an expansion drive at

McQueen led by CEO Gianfilippo Testa, replaced Burton with a

relatively unknown designer, Sean McGirr.

She will present her first collection for Givenchy next

March, LVMH said.

Under Burton's direction, the label will "continue to

innovate and captivate an extensive audience across the world

stage", Givenchy CEO Alessandro Valenti said in a statement.

A longtime Louis Vuitton executive who most recently headed

the LVMH-owned label's Europe and Middle East operations,

Valenti was appointed to head Givenchy in July last year.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Mimosa Spencer; Editing by

Louise Heavens and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)