At least a quarter hour before the Givenchy show began, the white-walled salon at the Avenue George V brand's headquarters began to fill with guests. To understand why it matters, consider the fact that in the distorted reality of fashion, the show is considered to have started on time when it starts 30 minutes late. But that was the hopes of designer Sarah Burton's first show. Both her and Givenchy had high interests.
Burton, a former designer for Alexander McQueen, was key to saving the brand after the founder's death, but left it in 2023, but has been away from fashion for almost a year and a half. In her 25-year career, she only worked in one home. McQueen was primarily defined by someone else's fashion vision, even if her job was in charge.
Givenchy itself has not had a designer for over a year since he said goodbye to his latest creative director, Matthew M. Williams. Essentially it was present in the smoke of the former muse Audrey Hepburn.
Can Burton reinvent his home on his own terms so that people want to shop again?
With a brave collection that offers clarity of both the line and personality, Mr. Burton was craving the ghost of Audrey (it was a lovely ghost, but hanging long). Someone who was thought to be easy and a bit destructive. I was able to embrace myself with a swirl of chaos and be calm in the center of the storm. And whoever she realised was enough, all by herself.
For example, a grey flannel pea coat is cut to fit an hourglass rather than a sailor, and could double as a mini dress. She was able to take part in a cocktail event with a pale pink leather halter draped from her neck and falling long on one side, with her hands in her pockets still able to command the room.
In the preview, Burton spoke about returning to Givenchy's roots and how he was inspired by his discovery of patterns from Hubert de Givenchy's first collection since 1952. (It seems no one knew why. That's a fashion mystery). This is like the story designer I want to tell now to show my connection to my brand heritage. Burton didn't need it. There was nothing nostalgic or old-fashioned about what she made.
Well, except for the white “Givenchy, Paris, 1952”, it splattered on the chest of the open look of the collection. The same look then echoes through the dress, with a flounce added at the hem, as if to suggest: after all, it's not so happy.
Elegance was in the choice of details, such as the curves, the seams sneaking around the arms of thigh-length jackets, many of the large curves, one of the inclusive trends of the season, and the legs of loose pants, building a sense of movement and airiness into the structure of the garment itself.
Or a large bow made from a lemon yellow coat and a champagne Duchess satin dress made from a cinch lemon yellow coat and suppressed leather. Tulle created a volume, but was adaptable enough to accommodate, for example, the need to sit. The thin slices are cut into the waist of the tuxedo, exposing slightly unexpected skin to the side. Certain parts of the body are things that designers like to expose and most women dislike them. Playing Peekaboos on the central ribs is generally not that flattering – but here it is part of how Burton respected the lines of the torso rather than ignore them.
These were clothing made to wear and not Instagrammed outfits. Because the clothes you wanted to buy looked like they foregrounded the adults you might grow up in.
