The Givenchy runway opens with a cocktail dress intricately embroidered with silver beads, followed by a concise yet bold collection of tailored suits. These suits, distinguished by fabric-covered buttons and pinky rings threaded through the buttonholes, precede the evening gowns, often adorned with a strip of fabric draped over the neck or back, a subtle yet captivating detail inspired by the Maison’s archives. In other pieces, the cinched and doubled waist evokes a bustle silhouette, another hallmark of Hubert’s designs. Even the coats follow a similar pattern: a double-breasted trench with a beetle-back transforms these elements often associated with eveningwear into everyday attire. All of this is done through a cinematic chromaticism that reflects a deliciously Parisian taste, spread across a color palette ranging from black to navy blue, from sugary blue to cardinal red and sapphire. In this FW24 collection by Givenchy, graphic and pure necklines become the focal points of daytime dresses, constructed with cut-glass collars, swallow-neck corset dresses, bustiers, and leather and velvet dresses with décolletage tied by rigid petal-shaped bows, a theme that permeates the entire collection. In contrast to the necklines, dramatic drapery defines the sartorial lines, which are also evident in oversized sweaters as well as in black bustier mini dresses and skirts with strong architectural cuts. There was a touch of the 1980s in the oversized fur coats and jackets with stiff, straight shoulders. Haute couture is particularly evident in the long herringbone wool or jacquard coats and the wide-legged trousers paired with vests.
In Hubert de Givenchy’s creations, the context hidden behind his sophisticated exteriors is often suggested by the details of the cut: seductive necklines, bold drapery, eccentric volumes.
The language of shapes returns in the overcoats and tailored cabans with trapeze volumes, as well as in the rounded-cut coats and synthetic fur stoles. These shapes evoke Haute Couture, equally experienced in the structured jackets and blazers with visible pockets, smoking coats, alpaca furs, and tailcoats. The trousers echo the lines of the collection with voluminous shapes, hand-cut hems that almost seem tucked into the shoes, and jodhpurs with ankle-profiles and rear slits. An evocative sensitivity manifests in the tactility of the textures and fabric decorations.
The heritage motifs resurface for the Fall/Winter 2024 Menswear: the Monogram 72 diamond pattern is reintroduced on a tailored suit; the chandelier graphic transfers onto a laminated lace suit adorned with metallic pearl drops; and the iconic cat hair motif is reprised in jacquard with lurex details on tailored suits and bustiers. Sequins are applied in the velvet version on a quilted peacoat and in a glossy format. Inspired by the Maison’s heritage, oversized necklaces and bracelets are crafted in crystal and enamel. Feline-shaped pendants embellish the necklaces, along with earrings, bracelets, and metal rings. The bow motif, recurring in this season’s runways, materializes in hair clips. It is also found in leather gloves, subsequently becoming the distinctive detail of footwear: the bow adorns pointed sling-back pumps and ballet flats with square toe laces. The Shark Lock boot reappears in a new satin version reaching above the knee. Ornamented with crystals on the frames, the Giv Cut sunglasses reveal a contemporary reinterpretation of the frame. Moving on to bags: echoing the sinuous lines of the entire collection, the Voyou range is accompanied by the P’tit Voyou, a elongated shoulder bag with minimal straps in soft lambskin and patent leather. The classic Voyou is downsized to a Nano dimension, made in calf leather, along with versions with bow closure in velvet and satin. True to its past, the Pumpkin bag is reimagined in soft mottled calf leather and as an evening clutch in velvet, with oversized chains and rings. The Antigona changes shape between cubic and amplified models, in embossed or scratched leather.
