GIVENCHY AND HIS MUSE
The brand Givenchy is associated with the man, Hubert de Givenchy, who was born in 1927 in Beauvais, France. Givenchy was interested in fashion at a very early age; when he was only 10 years old, he visited the World’s Fair in Paris and was captivated by the Pavilion of Elegance, which showed off models wearing designs from some of the most famous French couturiers. Givenchy was hypnotized by the beauty of clothes, and it was after this experience that Givenchy made the decision to become a designer. After the end of the Second World War, Givenchy moved to Paris and began to study fashion design, learning from teachers such as Jacques Fath, Robert Piguet, Lucien Lelong, and Elsa Schiaparelli.
Givenchy opened his first Maison de Couture in 1952 and, inspired by his muse, Bettina Graziani, created the famous “Bettina blouse.” Givenchy met immediate success with this first collection in Paris, and in 1953, he met Audrey Hepburn, the woman who, for him, would embody femininity and become his muse and friend for 40 years. Audrey Hepburn became a spokeswoman for Givenchy, and she wore his designs in many of her films. The association between Givenchy and Hepburn in the eyes of the public helped to create the image of Givenchy that exists even today: he is considered a designer of classic, timeless clothing, especially eveningwear. Cristobal Balenciaga was another close friend who inspired Givenchy, especially with regards to Givenchy’s characteristic structured minimalism.
FALL & WINTER 2008
In 1973, Givenchy for Men or “Gentleman Givenchy” was launched. Givenchy for Men looks to do for men what Givenchy couture does for women: to create something classic and timeless that emphasizes masculinity in the same way that Givenchy couture emphasizes femininity. Givenchy for Men does this by designing beautifully cut, classic suits, while attempting to give men as many choices in clothing as women have always had in gowns. As with many designers for men this Fall/Winter 2008-2009 season, Givenchy’s show in Paris featured a lot of checks and plaids. As opposed to other designers, however, who took this trend to mean a step in the direction of the 90s grunge era, Givenchy dressed up plaids with excellent cuts and the simple classic mix of black, white, and grey.
Givenchy’s Fall/Winter collection shows exactly what makes Givenchy stand out from other designers: the y take a trend and elevate it, making it something that is possible to wear to any black-tie event. He looks to create elegance with each design, and the most recent collection is no exception to that rule.
IMAGE
by Whorange