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Signature Style
Givenchy has always been an unstoppable force for inimitable style. Hubert de Givenchy’s style legacy can be described using one word; confidence. The style is assured, yet also elegant and refined.
He officially retired in the mid-1990’s and was succeeded by three of fashion’s finest designers; John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Julien McDonald. Riccardo Tisci then took over as creative director in 2005, and remained in post for 11 years. With this young, talented Italian designer at the helm, the brand’s edgier modern side came through and it developed completely into the must-have label. Tisci took Givenchy in a direction whereby colours were darker with white on black, with large printed words and art graphics, were the order of the day.
Givenchy Childrenswear…
…was launched in April this year to great excitement. Sneak peeks from Vogue reveal a gratifyingly large range of specially-designed children’s clothing, as well as several Givenchy classics reimagined for the younger clientele. It’s aimed at boys and girls aged newborn to 12 years, so there’s something for everyone. The range is predominantly black, with white detailing and arresting flashes of eye-catching red. It’s incredibly exciting to watch how Givenchy’s heritage has led to this uber-modern display of creativity.
Givenchy Today
Following Riccardo Tisci’s departure in 2016, former Chloé designer Clare Waight Keller takes on the role and brings with her a stylish, bohemian and decidedly French reputation. She is also the first woman to creatively direct Givenchy. The fashion world is excited to see what she will create.
The brand Givenchy has always received attention from Hollywood stars such Audrey Hepburn, and Jackie Kennedy was a vintage lover of Givenchy’s chic designs and wore them with iconic grace. Givenchy is currently adored by some of the highest-profile modern stars like Beyonce or Kim Kardashian.
The Story of Givenchy
Taking its name from founder Hubert James Taffin de Givenchy, la Maison de Givenchy has been dressing its fans in self-assured, confident couture since 1952. The French heritage brand and favourite of silver screen beauty Audrey Hepburn achieved almost overnight success when it began in Paris.
‘A Star is Born’ – New York Times, 1952
Young Givenchy was born in 1927 to a noble family. Son of a marquis, the boy led a life of beauty and elegance. Growing up, the child dreamed over fashion magazines and thus developed impeccable refinement and a clear vision of what he wanted to do with his life. He has said, “It was always my dream to be a dress designer.”
Everything happened for him while he was still so young. Givenchy moved to Paris when he was just 17. He studied design in his early days, and started working for Christobal Balenciaga alongside Pierre Balmain and Christian Dior – all three were as yet unknown but who could have predicated the trio’s impact on fashion’s future?
Hubert de Givenchy
Audrey Hepburn in "Sabrina"
In 1952, Givenchy founded his own fashion house and his first collection was hailed as an overnight sensation, not only in Paris but further afield. Vogue called his first collection ‘wonderful’ and the New York Times called him ‘one of fashion’s most famous children’ after the launch of his first collection!
So, ‘l’enfant terrible’, one collection in, had already made his mark. Even as a teen-age designer and into his early twenties, Givenchy had his own style that stood in contrast to his peers. His style was bolder, more innovative. This stood out in particular against Dior’s more conservative chic, and the masculine, boxy silhouettes seen on women during the post war period.
Givenchy marked his 90th birthday this year. He celebrated by launching an exhibition in Calais dedicated to his career and some of the stars he had cultivated friendships with along the way; iconic women such as Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy and the Duchess of Windsor. Givenchy is closely intertwined with the famous personas of these women, for example he was the creator of the famous‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ dress with integral pearls. Hepburn hailed Givenchy as a ‘personality maker’, meaning that he was largely behind her celebrity persona. She claimed that before she met Hubert de Givenchy, she wore homemade clothes!
Hubert fitting Audrey
The Famous Breakfast at Tiffany's Dress