Matthew Williams focuses on a new elegance: Givenchy’s Fall Winter 23 collection is a contemporary study of feminine allure, revealing a modern version of archetypes through an investigation of generational sophistication. The Creative Director explores in depth the stylistic principles founded by Hubert de Givenchy, reinterpreting them according to the current culture of women communities around him, mixing elements from the archives with details and shapes typical of his aesthetic. The French Maison’s proposal expresses confidence, feminine empowerment, and determination, combining the designer’s more street style with the romantic and sensual French one, which together result in lines that are sophisticated yet clean at the same time. The balance between the past and the present is clear from the first looks that walk down the white catwalk, drawing all the audience’s attention to the garments: the dark, straight coats elongate the figure, the squared shoulders give a strong, unflappable character, while the two large darts on the waist create a sophisticated volume reminiscent of haute couture. The length of the first garments is transformed into short jackets put on as mini dresses, maintaining the same structured silhouette to which ribbons of transparent fabric are added to create a soft, romantic movement.
The reflection on a new elegance takes shape in a balance between the new and the old: silhouettes, constructions and styling informed by the past but adapted for the present.
That mysterious charm is developed in garments that continue the dialogue between Parisian chic and American cool, presenting long leather trench coats in light tones, precisely a refined pale yellow, worn with a shirt that reproposes on the front a knot closed by long ribbons that reach to the floor. The elegance of the first dresses persists throughout the show, incorporating sporty elements that, in some cases, also recall the working world, uncovering a strong desire on the part of the designer to formalize the latter. The relaxed look of traditional sweatshirt and denim garments is transformed into cozy sweaters, stretchy leather drawstring dresses, and into unstructured double-face cashmere coats and jackets that accentuate the volume of the upper body. A series of layered looks brings the character everyone knows of Matthew Williams back to the runway: pants are covered by plush or kilt skirts, delicate tops and long shirts to which are added loose wool sweaters, oversize shearling jackets. A new conception of elegance that the Creative Director succeeds in expressing with all of himself, expressing in 360 degrees his personality contaminated by Givenchy’s innate sophistication. The past comes to life with patterns taken directly from the Maison’s archives, such as the floral or the fish motif made contemporary: the two symbols represent a study on the imaginary, arbitrary or symbolic, which attract the modern gaze and appear within the fashion show as glamorous details. Between the beginning and the end of the fashion show characterized by dark colors, three total green looks stand out, featuring a mini dress, a metallic skirt and a long tight dress with excellent tone-on-tone floral that paired with silver mirrored glasses seems to come almost from the future. Transparent plays bring the audience’s mind back to a world approaching that of haute couture: long evening gowns with deep V-necks are paired with leather gloves, wide skirts alternate with fully beaded embroidered sweaters, and a voluminous black tulle triangle dress is built on a hand-pleated corset.
Evening gowns informed by archival creations are realised in the Haute Couture ateliers, each a reflection of the self-expression that characterises the dressing culture of a new mentality.
The Voyou shoulder bag is proposed for the next season in different sizes, mixing details inspired by the world of motorcycling with luxury materials: shearling, cashmere, aged or metallic leather. Adapted exclusively for evening, the Party Voyou, made of satin-nylon and velvet with a chain handle, is paired with long wrap-around dresses, becoming the undisputed star of the look. The Maison’s classic bags are reinterpreted through rounded silhouettes and with the inclusion of floral and fish prints, while the signature 4G padlock appears on a new mini bucket bag. The new elegance proposed by Matthew Williams expands to footwear, offering contemporary heels that wrap around the foot reminiscent of doll shoes. The toes are intensified in square or rounded shapes, while cowboy boots are paired with the collection’s cargo garments. Matthew Williams with the Fall Winter 23 collection offers a way to explore multiple worlds within the same défilé: recognizing his character and personality from the casual and street image, he is inspired by Givenchy’s pure elegance and French essence, mixing elements directly from haute couture with more aggressive ones. The result obtained by the Creative Director addresses a modern-looking, sophisticated and dynamic woman, capable as he is of creating dialogues between different details.
