The best fashion doesn’t just cross boundaries—it smashes them.
Whether in terms of aesthetics or audience, it refuses to stay in one neat little box. And French fashion house Givenchy is a prime example of just that sort of genre-busting insouciance. From its inception to its current perch atop the international fashion set—we are talking about the company that made Meghan Markle’s couture wedding dress, after all—the label has proven itself a force to be reckoned with.
If you follow fashion, hip-hop, sports, or any combination of the three, there’s a very good chance you’ve encountered Givenchy before. If not, here’s a quick primer so you can sound extra educated when the brand pops up next:
The house was founded by designer Hubert de Givenchy in Paris in 1952
Givenchy, the man, was famously responsible for both the film and real-life wardrobe of his longtime friend Audrey Hepburn. Also his muse, she met the designer on the set of Sabrina, and wore the iconic “little black dress” he designed for 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Givenchy also outfitted the likes of Jackie O. and Grace Kelly, launching a women’s ready-to-wear collection in 1952 and (finally) launching a men’s line in 1969. Givenchy himself passed away just this year, at 91 years old.
Givenchy has been a proving ground for some of the world’s great design talents
Hubert de Givenchy departed from his own label, which in 1988 was acquired by luxury behemoth LVMH, in 1995. In the years that followed, a number of luminary designers would helm the label. From Alexander McQueen (pictured above at the label’s spring/summer 1997 show) to Ozwald Boateng (a Brit!) to Ricardo Tisci’s famous 2005-2017 run, the house has been home to the best of the best in the fashion world.
The label is beloved by the hip-hop world
From Jay Z and Kanye to Usher, 2 Chainz, Rihanna, and a host of others, the hip-hop world has a thing for Givenchy. The love affair hit a real fever pitch during the middle of Ricardo Tisci’s reign—say 2011 through 2015—but it’s still a huge part of the fabric of hip-hop fashion. (Sorry, I had to.)
And the sports world
Just Google “LeBron James Givenchy” and you’ll see what I mean.
It’s currently helmed by Clare Waight Keller
The label’s first artistic director, Clare Waight Keller is a Brit who was the creative director of Chloé before taking over for Ricardo Tisci in 2017. She’s also the designer of the couture dress that Meghan Markle wore for her wedding to Prince Harry.
Oh, and about that dress
Yes, of course there’s a photo of the dress. This might be a men’s fashion site, but we know great design when we see it—no matter the gender.
