Givenchy, History & Features of the Luxury French Brand

A Close Look at Givenchy’s History

Close to seven decades have passed since the birth of one of the biggest and most respected brands in the fashion industry. Givenchy is not your typical luxury brand. This brand goes against the rules and retains style that is unique. For years, the brand has evolved from classic to modern and everything in between. What has remained constant is the distinctive elegance that can be found in a Givenchy garment.

Givenchy’s Early Beginnings

The Givenchy brand was founded in 1952 by French designer Hubert de Givenchy. He opened the luxurious fashion house and perfumier, which he called the House of Givenchy.

Its first milestone was when Hubert de Givenchy and Javani Robert Durfy launched the Les Séparables collection that featured raw cotton puffy blouses and floaty skirts.

The brand gained critical acclaim after its first collection was featured in Vogue. Early on, it was also praised by many other reputable publications such as The New York Times.

Perhaps one of the most notable appearances of the brand in its younger years was when Givenchy came out with the iconic little black dress Audrey Hepburn wore in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Both the short black dress and the large-brimmed hat Hepburn wore were designed by Givenchy. The brand also dressed up many other famous women of that time including Grace Kelly and Jackie O.

Although its bright history began with numerous elegant clothing collections for women, the brand ventured into their own men’s line as well. Givenchy Men was launched in 1969.

Through the years, the brand continued to grow. They have collaborated with some of the biggest fashion brands all over the world. Givenchy is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter and is owned by the LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE, also known as LVMH.

Givenchy in Recent Years

Givenchy is well known in the hip hop, sports, and fashion industries. Not only are they praised for their cool yet elegant clothing items and perfumes, but also for accessories.

The brand continues to make bold moves that etch the Givenchy name in fashion history. More recently, the brand once again proved their domination in the fashion sector when Maegan Markle chose a Givenchy couture bridal dress for her wedding with Prince Harry.

LeBron James is one of the biggest supporters of the Givenchy brand. It is very well known in the hip hop world too. Music icons such as Jay Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West, just to name a few, would wear Givenchy with pride.

The brand continues to dress many more celebrities including Hollywood’s most popular stars, such as, Lady Gaga, Emma Stone, Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, and many more. In 2019, Ariana Grande was named the face of the brands Fall/Winter campaign.

Today, Givenchy is headquartered in Paris, France, and is led by its CEO, Philippe Fortunato. In 2017, Clare Waight Keller was appointed as its Artistic Director, the first woman to lead the brand since it was established. She is in charge of making all major creative decisions for Givenchy Men and Women ready-to-wear clothes, accessories and haute couture.

News just in (15th June 2020)…Matthew M. Williams founder of luxury streetwear label 1017 ALYX 9SM, has been named as Givenchy’s new creative director following in the footsteps of Clare Waight Keller.