GIVENCHY unveiled its spring-summer 2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week and it oozed an essence of elegance, a theme inherent to the fashion house’s establishment over the years.
The reinterpretation of the codes of elegance, sophistication and feminity sits at the core of the brand and has done so since its founding in 1952. The embodiment of these codes is evident throughout the collection with the draping of chiffon dresses, sculpted necklines and the adornment of a hand-painted flower.
Relaxed and structured silhouettes are displayed in the form of oversized blazers and light-weight airy dresses while architectonic hourglass-structured tailoring is formed with half-moon shapes along the neck and hemlines.
The duchesse satin double-breasted blazers possess a soft-looking design and reinterpret opera coat patterns but with an exudation of a contemporary flair.
Givenchy’s creative director Matthew M. Williams paid homage to the brand’s heritage this season embellishing skirts and dresses with elegant flower emblems ingrained in the Hubert de Givenchy archives — the founder’s love for gardens, Williams chose to display as a source of inspiration.
Florals are interpreted throughout the collection in various ways with their influence on the palette and its appearance through embroidered and hand-painted motifs, prints and jewellery.
Lace, a trope of elegance at the core of the brand, was gracefully seen sculptured on the fronts of dresses and pearls, glass and crystal adorn dresses and skirts with their grid-like structured silhouettes.
Evening-appropriate fashion is adapted to the everyday with delicately fabricated dresses sheathed, ruched and knotted within transparent layers.
Various woven fabrics of chiffon, taffeta and organza are decorated with the floral prints of before and a leather-like effect on silk dresses is created using the Ming Dynasty technique of submersing silk in river mud.
Sculptural lines are influenced by formalwear and rosettes embellish evening dresses made from taffeta or satin and delicate chiffon is used for draping.
As for the accessories this season pearls are a prominent theme with their adornment of necklaces and their singular embellishments of crystal chokers, hoop earrings, ear-cuffs and rings.
Chokers further fuse together crystal encrustations and Cuban chains and rings are decorated with metal roses. A dainty hair-comb headband is reconstructed into Alice bands of gold and silver adding an essence of simplicity to the garments worn.
The thin filtrage fabric that constructed dresses covers stilettos with a mesh overlay and hugs the leg creating a boot silhouette alongside also featuring in leather and crystal with pastel coloured or black mesh.
As for the other shoe styles seen on the runway, a pointed mule is covered in mud silk, transparent fabrics and leather, formed to demonstrate a flower emblem.
A ruched-looking peep-toe mule adds a final touch to several looks while Givenchy’s famed Shark Lock boot is reimagined into an open-toe stiletto.
The Voyou range is revitalised with its usage of sliding chains and the welcoming of a trapezoid flap bag with heavy buckles. The same shape is reused in a slender clutch fabricated by crocodile or duchesse with rosette embellishments and a second decorative slim bra chain. Larger bags come in the form of totes with a strap for the closure and a stylish buckled to-hand bag is created using calfskin and canvas.
With the derivation of creativity being sourced from Hubert de Givenchy’s homes, a 4G buckle enhances dresses and sunglasses alongside bird decorations which architecturally embellish lambskin clutches and shoulder bags.
Givenchy’s spring-summer 2024 collection show was held at the L’École Militaire where the entirety of the space was covered in a bright white and conveyed an essence of calm, resembling the inherent themes of ease and elegance that the collection exudes.
by Nicole Pereira