GIVENCHY - TOP 5

Yesterday was a momentous day for the house of Givenchy. Riccardo Tisci took the Internet by storm by announcing that 1200 tickets to the SS2016 presentation would be available to members of the public, a move designed to celebrate both the launch of a New York flagship store last week and the opening of a flagship in Milan which will coincide with the show on September 11th. Givenchy is one of the industry's longest-running fashion houses; founded in 1952 by Hubert de Givenchy, the house quickly gained a reputation for its elegant couture pieces and its sartorial links with icons such as Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. The brand has come a long way, recruiting legendary designers such as Alexander McQueen and John Galliano along the road. Since his appointment in 2005, Tisci has nurtured a new, darker aesthetic and catapulted the brand to huge mainstream success. To celebrate his first decade at the house and his decision to make high-fashion more accessible, here are five of Givenchy's greatest collections.

Xiao Wen Ju wearing Givenchy Couture, A/W 2011

MENSWEAR MANIFESTO

Men like clothes just as much as women. Try shopping for menswear in almost any city, though, and it hardly feels like the case. For example, a recent trip to Leeds' Corn Exchange yielded the discovery of at least 10 'vintage' or 'boutique' shops for women, yet the only two that stocked menswear contained a few leather jackets and a selection of logo T-shirts. The other shops stocked handmade jewellery, upcycled outfits and a sartorial feast which ranged from wearable to bonkers - all exclusively for women. This was even more frustrating considering that the day began with a trip to Harvey Nichols which stocked some mouthwateringly brilliant pieces; Raf Simon's amazing holographic high-tops and Givenchy's eye-catching prints were proof that menswear clearly offers a wider range for those with a fat bank balance. This was further re-iterated by a trip to Vivienne Westwood and the opportunity to play dress-up in brilliantly charismatic clothes that I would love to wear but, alas, cannot afford. I began to think about the rapid evolution of the menswear industry and the progress being made; why is this progress not reflected on the high street?

With London Collections: Men gradually becoming one of fashion's most talked about events and menswear designers announcing bigger profit than ever, it is clear there is an enormous gap in the market for young men that aren't afraid to take sartorial risks. These men are important - fashion is a reflection of society, and today's technologically-minded society is driven by youth. A brief look at the most recent Fashion Weeks reveals that the most interesting names in menswear tend to be either unknown or underrated - whereas big brands like Prada and Dolce & Gabbana stick to their commercial codes, fresh faces are busy redefining the way that we dress. This post is a manifesto - a call to arms for these young designers to kickstart the new New Wave of Fashion. From now on, the focus of this blog will be shifted to new designers, and used as a platform to promote these innovators by looking at their working process and exploring the ideas behind their collections. It will also be a place to explore the styling elements of menswear, used to stifle the immediate fear that springs to mind whenever we hear words such as 'skort', 'PVC' or 'pastel' and show that the wearability of trends is defined by the individual, not the designer. It's  an exploration of the finest minds in the industry, an advertisement for the commercial possibilities of left-field menswear and an endorsement of the young talent making a marriage between avant-garde sensibilities and commercial revenue a dream slowly becoming reality. 

FASHION x WEARABILITY

One of the most intriguing things about fashion is that it is a word with no real definition. A quick search in the Oxford English Dictionary defines fashion as “a popular or latest style of clothing, hair, decoration or behaviour” – an implication that it is something which is transient as opposed to permanent. However, this is a definition which has been skewed by endless pop-culture re-interpretations, ranging from fashion shows through to fashion blogs. Google ‘fashion blog’ and the results vary wildly – from teen girls modelling their latest Forever 21 ‘hauls’ to in-depth reviews of ‘90s couture and essays on fashion history, these blogs often have little to do with ‘fashion’s’ dictionary definition.

MCQUEEN & I

In these past few months, I have realised that cultural differences do extend further than clichés, but they definitely do exist. More than anything, these differences become evident when we look at the way that the locals dress – in Paris, for example, monochrome is key and the ‘classic’ look is the one that is largely favoured. Well-dressed women keep their outfits simple and compensate with statement accessories (usually a Chanel bag and a pair of Louboutins.. even I’m jealous) and dramatic outerwear – fur coats and oversized capes are amongst the most popular choices. Back in the UK, however, people are more experimental with their clothing choices – the best example I can think of this is that the UK have charity shops, whereas they are nowhere to be found over here. English style is an eclectic mix of colour, print and texture – people aren’t afraid to be bold with their clothing choices, and with the rise of vintage and charity shops, young creatives can afford to dress boldly and express their personality. 

Alexander McQueen for Givenchy Couture

The reason that I mention this comparison is that recently I have re-developed a fascination with the late, great Alexander McQueen – more specifically, I’m fascinated with his brief spell as creative director of legendary Parisian couture house Givenchy. At this point McQueen was still in the formative years of his career, and considering his controversial earlier collections (‘Highland Rape’, ‘Dante’), his appointment as head of such a classic couture house caused uproar amongst the French fashion press that immediately slated his debut collection. 

GIVENCHY A/W 2013

Fashion is a notoriously fickle industry, so it comes as no surprise that the designer that was once Givenchy's golden boy has faced a sort-of backlash as of late. Arguably more famous for his menswear collections - A$AP Rocky and Kanye West were amongst the hoards of celebrities that were seen in the iconic Birds of Paradise print, Riccardo Tisci's latest womenswear collection has succeeded in dividing opinion in a way that is rarely seen.

The first thing to acknowledge is that the collection was by no means perfect. Some of the styling was questionable - for example the mid-calf length snakeskin boots weren't always flattering, and although it's understandable that Tisci was aiming for a juxtaposition between oversized sweaters and delicate, sheer skirts, the combination of this and jackets tied around waists occasionally added bulk when it wasn't needed and led to a top-heavy silhouette. There were also claims that some of the designs felt rehashed, and it is of course true that this is not the first collection in which Givenchy has shown leather skirts and silk-screened jumpers, but every designer has their own signature aesthetic and it seems unfair that people are using this consistency in image as a criticism.

Menswear Highlight #1; Givenchy

In an attempt to make the frequency of my blogposts less sporadic, I have set myself a challenge. Given that Paris Menswear Fashion Week is in full swing, I feel it is my duty, as a male, to faithfully record the highlights of this wonderful week. However, remaining objective is extremely difficult - I think it's fair to say that every individual has their own favourite fashion houses, and I am no exception. For tonight I am allowing myself to be self-indulgent in taking the opportunity to delve into the wonderful world of  my personal highlight of the week; Givenchy, although rest assured that my remaining four highlights will be as varied as possible!

Creative director Ricardo Tisci has established a signature aesthetic for the world of Givenchy, one which has become directly associated with the iconic brand over the years. His collections remain edgy, relying on block colours and distorted prints to create beautifully sinister garments which have filtered into the mainstream. Last year also saw Tisci venture into jewellery, creating a stunning oversized septum ring; possibly one of Givenchy's most iconic moves, proven by the fact that musical trendsetters such as Grimes and Lady Gaga have been photographed with the decadent jewellery, cementing Givenchy's reputation as one of the major players in the fashion industry. With the latest collection, all of the traditional components are there; stiff fabrics are used to create a distinctive silhouette, the contrast of light and darkness is present in almost every piece of the collection and the beautiful screen prints are as spooky and effective as ever.

The infamous Givenchy septum jewellery

Dazed & Confused; Grimes in Givenchy

Givenchy's S/S 2013 collection also saw the fashion house explore the territory of androgyny, one which is rarely touched upon in menswear. Making the controversial choice of sending both men and women down the runway demonstrated that the garments are cut so magnificently that are equally flattering on both genders. Exploring the concept further, the only footwear of the season was a more masculine take on the traditional gladiator sandal - shown in both black and white, the tough rubber soles and heavy chain detailling made them stand out against the often minimalist outfits they were paired with.

Read/see more after the jump!