Hubert de Givenchy

1.1. Childhood and Family Background

Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy was born on February 20, 1927, in Beauvais, Oise, France. He hailed from a Protestant noble family. His father was Lucien Taffin de Givenchy, Marquis of Givenchy (1888-1930), and his mother was the former Béatrice ("Sissi") Badin (1888-1976). The Taffin family, whose lineage can be traced back to Venice, Italy (originally named Taffini), was ennobled in 1713, at which point the head of the family became Marquis of Givenchy.

After his father's death from influenza in 1930, Hubert and his elder brother, Jean-Claude de Givenchy (1925-2009), were raised by their mother and maternal grandmother, Marguerite Dieterle Badin (1853-1940). Jean-Claude later inherited the family's marquessate and eventually became the president of Parfums Givenchy. A third sibling, Beatrice, was born in 1928 but died shortly after birth. Their maternal grandmother was the widow of Jules Badin (1843-1919), an artist who owned and directed the historic Gobelins Manufactory and Beauvais tapestry factories. Artistic professions were prevalent in the extended Badin family; Givenchy's maternal great-grandfather, Jules Dieterle, was a set designer who also created designs for the Beauvais factory, including a set of 13 designs for the Élysée Palace. One of his great-great-grandfathers also designed sets for the Paris Opéra.

1.2. Education

At the age of 17, Givenchy moved to Paris to pursue his artistic aspirations. He enrolled and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, a prestigious institution that provided him with a foundational understanding of art and design, preparing him for his future career in fashion.

2.1. Early Career and Influences

Givenchy began his professional journey in fashion by designing for Jacques Fath in 1945. He then worked for Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong in 1946, where he collaborated alongside the then-unknown designers Pierre Balmain and Christian Dior. From 1947 to 1951, he further honed his skills under the tutelage of the avant-garde designer Elsa Schiaparelli. During this period, he also met his idol, Cristóbal Balenciaga. Givenchy sought inspiration not only from the lofty settings of haute couture but also from avant-garde environments like Limbo, a store in Manhattan's East Village.

2.2. Founding the House of Givenchy and Early Collections

In 1952, at the age of 25, Hubert de Givenchy opened his own design house on the Plaine Monceau in Paris. This made him the youngest designer in the progressive Paris fashion scene. His debut collection was notably named "Bettina Graziani" in honor of Paris's top model at the time, who provided crucial support and publicity for his new venture.

His early collections were characterized by innovation, a stark contrast to the more conservative designs prevalent at the time, such as those by Dior. Givenchy focused on versatile separates, often utilizing shirting cotton, a relatively inexpensive fabric for financial reasons. Despite the humble materials, his designs consistently piqued curiosity through their inventive forms and impeccable cut. He aimed to offer a more casual yet refined alternative to the formal clothes of Dior, emphasizing that his designs were simple and true, even when made with basic cotton.

2.3. Collaboration with Audrey Hepburn

A pivotal moment in Givenchy's career was his iconic partnership with actress Audrey Hepburn. They first met in 1953 during the filming of Sabrina, for which Givenchy was initially asked to design Hepburn's wardrobe. Although the film's costume designer, Edith Head, received the Oscar, their collaboration marked the beginning of a lifelong friendship and professional alliance.

Givenchy went on to design Hepburn's personal and professional wardrobe for many years, creating some of her most memorable on-screen looks, including the famous black dress she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Their collaboration extended beyond film costumes; Givenchy also developed his first perfume collection, which included L'Interdit and Le de Givenchy, specifically for Hepburn. She became the face of L'Interdit, marking the first instance a star was the face of a fragrance advertising campaign, and notably, she did so without charge due to their close friendship. Their partnership profoundly influenced fashion and advertising, creating an enduring image of elegance and sophistication.

2.4. Key Designs and Innovations

Hubert de Givenchy was a prolific innovator, introducing several influential designs that shaped the fashion landscape. In the 1950s and early 1960s, he was considered one of the leading couturiers. He debuted his prêt-à-porter collection in 1954, which was praised for being both comfortably wearable and possessing "hanger appeal" due to their well-shaped forms.

In 1955, he gained acclaim for an easy-fitting sweater style, a sleek, open-sided pump, and diminutive millinery. His most prophetic contribution that year was the **shift dress**, a looser, free-falling version of the sheath. He further developed this in 1957 to create the fuller, tapering "sack/sac dress," also known as the chemise dress, which was soon copied by Christian Dior for his 1957 Fuseau/Spindle line. By 1957, Givenchy felt confident enough to present his collections weeks after other designers, requiring the press to make a second trip to Paris, highlighting his growing stature.

In 1958, he introduced the iconic **'balloon coat'** and the **'baby doll' dress**, making innovative contributions to the geometric seaming and experimental construction that were becoming prevalent. His **princess line** of 1959 was also highly influential, characterized by a fitted silhouette with a strongly indented waist. In 1969, Givenchy expanded his brand by creating a men's line, "Givenchy Gentleman."

2.5. Notable Clients

Givenchy's designs attracted a distinguished clientele from aristocracy, cinema, and high society, cementing his reputation as a designer for the elite. His notable clients included:

• Marella Agnelli
• Lauren Bacall
• Ingrid Bergman
• Countess Mona von Bismarck
• Countess Cristiana Brandolini d'Adda
• Sunny von Bülow
• Renata Tebaldi
• Maria Callas
• Capucine
• Marlene Dietrich
• Daisy Fellowes
• Greta Garbo
• Gloria Guinness
• Dolores Guinness
• Aimee de Heeren
• Audrey Hepburn
• Jane Holzer
• Grace Kelly
• Princess Salimah Aga Khan
• Rachel Lambert Mellon
• Sophia Loren
• Jeanne Moreau
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
• Empress Farah Pahlavi
• Babe Paley
• Lee Radziwill
• Hope Portocarrero
• Comtesse Jacqueline de Ribes
• Nona Hendryx
• Baroness Pauline de Rothschild
• Frederica von Stade
• Baroness Gaby Van Zuylen van Nijevelt
• Diana Vreeland
• Betsey Cushing Roosevelt Whitney
• Baroness Sylvia de Waldner
• The Duchess of Windsor
• Haitian first lady Michèle Duvalier
• Jayne Wrightsman

2.6. Fashion Trends and Evolving Position

While Givenchy's initial collections in the early 1950s were innovative, they still adhered to the formal fashion norms of the era. However, in the second half of the 1960s and into the 1970s, the fashion industry underwent significant changes with the rise of more casual styles like miniskirts and jeans. This period also saw a societal rejection of materialism and a decline in the importance of haute couture. During this time, Givenchy's designs remained rather formal and dressy, leading some to perceive him as a designer behind the times, catering primarily to wealthy women "of a certain age."

Signs of this shift in his standing appeared as early as 1963, when he rejected the fashion world's embrace of multiple heights of women's boots, opting instead for traditional pumps. He also attempted to reintroduce a fitted princess silhouette when waistless shift and trapeze shapes were the strongest trends. During the miniskirt era, his hemlines remained longer than most, only rising to micromini length in the early 1970s, by which point short lengths had paradoxically become a more conservative position. Despite this, he did incorporate some contemporary elements, joining the brief vogue for hot pants in 1971 and showing fabrics inspired by the abstract painter Mark Rothko.

With the return to dresses that accompanied the "Big Look" trend of 1974, Givenchy began to regain some of his earlier prominence. His designs, which included smock-like shapes and cape-backed coats, were seen as fresh and versatile. The 1980s marked a significant resurgence for Givenchy, as fashion shifted back towards formality and conspicuous consumption, with the reintroduction of glamour featuring hats, gloves, suits, and big shoulders from the fall of 1978. Givenchy once again entered the upper echelons of fashion's status quo, alongside designers like Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and Oscar de la Renta. His work, though no longer groundbreaking in the same way as his 1950s innovations, was highly popular and perfectly aligned with the mood of the era's wealthy clientele. He presented shoulder-padded versions of the chemise dress, sharply tailored suits, grand entrance ballgowns, and cocktail dresses, many revived from 1940s and 1950s styles. He even incorporated occasional above-the-knee skirts, now acceptable to him as they appeared dressy rather than casual, a trend that intensified throughout the 1980s.

2.7. Business Ventures and Brand Management

Beyond haute couture, Givenchy expanded his brand through various business ventures. From 1976 through 1987 in the United States, the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company offered a Givenchy Edition of its Continental Mark series (from 1976 to 1982) and Lincoln Continental (from 1982 to 1987) automobiles. This began with the 1976 Continental Mark IV coupe, continued with the 1977-1979 Mark V coupe, and concluded with the 1982 Lincoln Mark VI and the 1987 Lincoln Continental sedan. In Japan, from 1982 to 1984, Nissan collaborated with Givenchy to release a special Givenchy version of the fourth-generation Nissan Laurel (C31 model), featuring interior and exterior design enhancements.

The House of Givenchy underwent a significant structural change in 1981 when it was split. The perfume line was transferred to Veuve Clicquot, while the fashion branch was acquired by LVMH in 1989. Currently, LVMH owns both the fashion and perfume divisions of Givenchy. In 1988, Givenchy organized a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

3.1. Retirement and Artistic Pursuits

Hubert de Givenchy officially retired from fashion design in 1995. Following his retirement, John Galliano succeeded him as the head of the Givenchy label. Subsequent creative directors included Alexander McQueen for five years, Julien Macdonald from 2001 to 2004, and Riccardo Tisci from 2005 to 2017, who oversaw Givenchy's women's ready-to-wear and haute couture lines. As of 2018, Clare Waight Keller serves as the creative director for the fashion house.

In his retirement, Givenchy resided at the Château du Jonchet, a listed historic castle in Romilly-sur-Aigre, Eure-et-Loir, near Paris. He devoted his time to collecting 17th and 18th-century bronze and marble sculptures. In September 2014, during the Biennale des Antiquaires, he curated a private sale exhibition at Christie's in Paris, featuring artworks by notable artists such as Jean-Baptiste-Claude Odiot, pieces from the Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, and paintings by Jacques-Louis David and Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson.

3.2. Public Engagements and Events

Givenchy maintained a public presence after his retirement, participating in various events that celebrated his legacy and artistic interests. In January 2007, the French Post Office honored him by issuing Postage stamps for Valentine's Day that he designed. In July 2010, he delivered a speech at the prestigious Oxford Union. In October 2014, a major retrospective exhibition showcasing ninety-five of his designed pieces was held at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid, Spain, further cementing his enduring influence on the fashion world.

6.1. Impact on the Fashion Industry

Givenchy's design philosophy emphasized purity of line, impeccable tailoring, and a refined simplicity that became his signature style. He championed comfortable yet elegant clothing, notably through his introduction of versatile separates and the influential shift dress. His creations offered a refreshing alternative to the more rigid and formal styles of his contemporaries, advocating for a modern, understated glamour.

His most significant cultural contribution was undoubtedly his partnership with Audrey Hepburn, which forged an indelible link between his brand and her iconic image. He dressed her for many of her most famous films, including Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany's, and also for her personal life, making her a global Fashion icon. This collaboration not only elevated both their statuses but also transformed the relationship between Hollywood and haute couture, pioneering the concept of a celebrity muse for a fashion house.

Givenchy's influence extended to ready-to-wear, making high fashion more accessible while maintaining its inherent quality and sophistication. He brought a sense of romanticism and femininity to his designs, often using delicate fabrics and soft silhouettes. Even as fashion trends shifted towards more casual styles in the 1960s and 1970s, Givenchy remained committed to his vision of elegance, which eventually saw a resurgence in popularity as formality returned to fashion in the 1980s. His legacy is one of enduring chic, setting a standard for sophisticated dressing that continues to inspire designers and fashion enthusiasts worldwide.

6.2. Awards and Honors

Throughout his illustrious career, Hubert de Givenchy received numerous accolades and recognitions for his contributions to fashion. Most notably, he was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1970, a testament to his consistent influence on global style and his status as a fashion icon.