Founded by the dashing Hubert de Givenchy in 1952, the house would go on to symbolize the height of effortless elegance, as embodied by Givenchy’s muse (and close friend) Audrey Hepburn. After its founder’s retirement in 1995, John Galliano first took the reins of the house, before being succeeded by a young Alexander McQueen, who created his first (and only) haute couture collections for Givenchy. More recently, Italian designer Riccardo Tisci took the brand into a resolutely contemporary direction following his appointment in 2005 (dressing icons such as Beyoncé), followed by Clare Waight Keller and American designer Matthew M. Williams.
This definitive publication – the only monograph in print on the house of Givenchy – opens with a concise history of the fashion house before exploring the collections themselves, which are organized chronologically. Each new era in Givenchy’s history opens with a brief overview and biography of the new designer, while individual collections are introduced by a short text unveiling their influences and highlights, illustrated with carefully curated catwalk images. A rich reference section, including an extensive index, concludes the book.
