For autumn/winter 19, Givenchy returned to the Paris men’s calendar with a standalone collection that showcased its new vision of a complete day to evening wardrobe. Following an intimate salon show of just 17 looks, Clare Waight Keller — the British Designer of the Year Womenswear Award-winner — described it as “perverse posh”. “There’s something that feels very Parisian about that to me,” she explained. “A sense of polish but not in a way that you’d ever feel is very refined and elegant.”
“As a creative, you need to keep pushing fashion forward,” Clare told i-D in a quiet corner of the presentation. “Having included men’s looks in Givenchy couture from the outset, now I’m really focusing on giving men’s a strong, dedicated voice.” This voice is a persuasive one. “I really believe in the power of tailoring,” she continued. “It feels right and refreshing to focus on the traditional techniques of cut and shapes in menswear.” Of course, she’s not alone, tailoring 2.0 is everywhere this season — from MSGM to Off-White, high continues to meets low, the formal juxtaposed with the casual — but the Givenchy proposition was one of the most compelling thus far.
In a deeply personal collection that drew from both past and present, Waight Keller continued to build character through volume, mixing lean lines with loose and oversized pieces. It was a collage of contrasts as slim suit jackets and boxy coats were paired with carefree flares (one of the shapes of the season) and loosened with karate trousers, while iridescent and bold hues of violet, fuchsia and electric blue mixed with more classic shades of black, navy and camel, and a collision of textures included crinkled leather, bonded fabric and microglass hand-beading. “Throughout my career I have always cross-pollinated women’s and menswear, borrowing fabrics, shrinking silhouettes or adding new nuances to a silhouette or fabrication,” she explained. “The Givenchy man is very exacting in terms of silhouette, proportions, attitude and embellishments. There’s strength, beauty and a real immediacy in the menswear we are building here, so I’m really looking forward to exploring it further.” We already stan the Givenchy man.
