The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

bitefashion with a camellia and a 1961 cream parabuntal straw hat with a Petersham band along the base of the crown that ends with a bow, and a rounded dome and a wide sloping brim. The 1960 woman’s hat in blue plush would have looked sophisticated in that era. It wasn’t just women that de Givenchy designed for: in 1959, he launched men’s scents Eau de Vetyver and Monsieur de Givenchy. The former is a robust but elegant woody fragrance with top notes of bergamot; middle notes of vetiver and cori- ander; and base notes of cedar and sandalwood. The latter is an aromatic citrus fragrance with top notes of carnation, cinna- mon, pepper, and lemon; middle notes of lavender and lemon verbena; and base notes of sandalwood, musk, and oakmoss. A decade later, he created a men’s ready-to-wear line entitled ‘Givenchy Gentleman’. This distinguished gentleman has a style that is imbued with restraint and aristocratic distinction and a subtle mix of classicism and ease. The fragrance of the same name followed in 1975, a woody aroma with top notes of honey, cinnamon, bergamot, rose, lemon, and tarragon; mid- dle notes of patchouli, orris root, jasmine, and cedar; and base notes of leather, amber, musk, oakmoss, vanilla, vetiver, and civet. In 1988, de Givenchy sold his business to luxury conglomerate LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) but designed for seven more years, presenting his final collection in 1995. A select show with fellow designers Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lac- roix, Valentino Garavani, Issey Miyake, and Oscar de la Ren- ta in attendance on the front row, the AW95 collection delivered exquisite little black dresses, modish tailored suits, and zippy evening gowns, saluting the mastery of the great couture designer. Following his retirement, John Galliano was appointed creative director for Givenchy until he was moved to Christian Dior in 1996. He was replaced by the late Brit- ish designer Alexander McQueen who led the designs for five years. In 2001, Julien Macdonald took over as artistic director for the women’s lines which consist- ed of haute couture and ready-to-wear until 2005. The most extended reigning creative director was Riccardo Tisci who stayed at Givenchy for 12 years from 2005 to 2017. When Tisci left the brand, Claire Waight Keller (designer of the gown worn by Meghan Markle at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018), took over as artistic director. Responsible for all creative responsibilities, including women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, haute couture, and accessories collections, she became the first woman to lead Givenchy since it was estab- lished in 1952. As of 2020, American designer Matthew Wil- liams is the creative director and will design both menswear and womenswear. For Pre-Fall 2020, Keller took cues from Antiquity and trans- posed them to modern wardrobes designed for movement. She liberated the Men’s FW20 collection with an intimate ode to the contemporary man. In contrast, the Women’s FW20 col- lection carries a silver screen allure: harking back to the im- perfect beauty of an elusive arthouse heroine. The forthcoming SS21 collection by Matthew Williams will be a new beginning intermingled with elements of Givenchy’s archive and distinct lineage of the past, present, and future. www.givenchy.com/gb/en/homepage