A page was torn out of Mr de Givenchy’s oeuvre for the brand’s Fall 2020 ready-to-wear collection. The oversized accessories, comprised of wide-brimmed hats that partially covered the face, slouched leather gloves up to the elbows and large-lensed sunglasses, all shrouded the models in mystery, which offset the more obvious exuberance embedded in the clothing. These two competing elements in the designs—mystery and glamour—the balance of “look at me” and “keep your distance”, served as a reminder as to what authentic luxury is and how, often, it is articulated in the nuances and subtleties of a collection.
A Givenchy collection that blurs time and space by Clare Waight Keller. Photo: vogue.com
Multilayering was an element this season, from the furs to the patterned dresses that were constructed with different colored fabrics, embellishments and pattern types. This tool was used to build contrast in the collection, which ultimately mirrors the multilayered personality of the Givenchy woman. She’s someone who is relaxed in patterns, composed in capes, intimidating in her furs and unapproachable behind her large sunglasses. She’s the type of woman who is just as capable of being the life of the party in a feather accented gown as she is shutting down the fun in a trench coat secured with two belts (one around her waist and one around her neck). Essentially, Clare Waight Keller’s designs reflect the interior landscape of the woman who knows how to navigate her work-life balance. Someone who may even be a bit of a starlet in their own right, like one of Mr de Givenchy’s original muses.
The subtle contradictions in the collection are what makes it all the more interesting. The ultra-clean tailoring mixed in with the slouching of the gloves or the layers embedded through the fabric and color choices all add to the overview of luxury at Givenchy: something that can be a chaotic and imaginative, while maintaining its refined and restrained qualities. It’s elegant and involved, which is especially so in the designs of this collection.
Passive enjoyment of the clothing for the onlooker, or the wearer, is simply not allowed in Givenchy’s Fall 2020 line, for in every detail, there is something to remind you that what you are looking at is fashion with a capital F. Whether that intrigue is manifested in the form of hesitant questioning, awe, or a credit-card swipe, is up to the viewer, but what is most important is that the clothing was evocative: cherishing the legacy of Givenchy while bringing something new to something borrowed.
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