A tribute to elegance, modernity, and style

Hubert De Givenchy was an incredible designer accredited with dressing iconic Audrey Hepburn for several of her truly epochal movie roles. Clare Waight Keller was appointed artistic director for Givenchy in 2017 after her memorable reign at Chloé. The whole collection was, for me, unforgettable and encapsulated pure beauty.

So, let’s get some basic facts straight before we delve into the collection. Hubert De Givenchy opened his own house in 1952 in Paris, shocking critics with his contemporary and somewhat refreshing take on fashion. He is famous for his loyal friendship with Audrey Hepburn, producing his debut perfume collection for her. Two garments created by him that are worth noting are the “Balloon” coat and the “Baby Doll” dress, both influential in the 50s. Givenchy unfortunately died in March 2018 at the age of 91 and Clare Waight Keller (originally at Parisian fashion house Chloé) took over.

He is famous for his loyal friendship with Audrey Hepburn.

And now let’s look at the actual collection. The whole collection was distinguished and truly tasteful. To make the breaking down of this 43-piece collection easier, let’s take a look at three of my favourite pieces. The opening look was certainly setting the scene; a wonderful black and silver gown with exquisite silver bangles lining the wrists of the model. These three looks stood out for me.

The third look is certainly one to remember. I can’t even begin to describe the wonderful colours that burst from this gown, breaking the monotony of the two black gowns that had preceded it. The length of the gown allowed it to flow and gave it an angelic quality. Despite the magnificent colours, the gown was still somewhat minimalistic and fabulously retained its refinement.

For those of you that are not aware, men’s haute couture is coming back into fashion (pardon the pun) and Keller certainly dived in on this trend. The fifth look is one that defines grace and, in some respects, reverence. The use of glitter on the jacket is well balanced with the simplicity of the outfit, emphasising that this is a tribute collection.

By far my favourite look was the eleventh one, an indication of trousers on women making their way back into couture. The defined shoulder of the jacket is reminiscent of the tailored looks of women in the 80s, marking advancements in the feminist movement. The cape is elegantly draped on the shoulders, adding to this ethereal look that dominated the collection. The contrast of black and white and the use of sequins is a recurring theme in the collection, adding harmony and continuity.

Clare Waight Keller seemed to adhere to Givenchy’s principle of elegance and held true to “Never confuse elegance with snobbery”, as Givenchy himself said. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Clare.

thanks for reading ;)