The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter. It is owned by luxury goods behemoth LVMH and in 1993 achieved a total sales worth of $176 million, making it the second largest apparel division of LVMH after Dior.
Womenswear, 1995-Present
John Galliano succeeded Givenchy upon his retirement but was in turn promoted to Christian Dior less than two years later, prompting the hiring ofAlexander McQueen. In 2001, designer Julien Macdonald was appointed Artistic Director for the women's lines, which consist of haute couture and ready-to-wear.
The reins for both collections were ultimately passed on to Riccardo Tisci in 2005 when he was named chief designer of womenswear. Tisci's apparent fascination with gothic touches (dark, languid dresses on sickly-looking models for fall couture) and space-age minimalism (one ready-to-wear show featured white-clad models drifting aimlessly around a sterile-white sphere) have drawn new attention to the brand. Reviews and output so far have been mixed and inconsistent, but many, including influential fashion critics (such as Cathy Horyn of the New York Times and Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune) have homed in on Tisci's conceptual leanings, as well as his future potential for revitalizing the Givenchy brand and infusing it with his precision and imagination.
Menswear
Givenchy menswear was relaunched for Spring 2005 with Saville Row tailor and fashion designer Ozwald Boateng at the helm. Ozwald Boateng introduced a definitive silhouette and style to the French brand through his remarkable understanding of cut and fabrics. For Spring 2009, the task fell upon womenswear designer Riccardo Tisci, who brought the sleek, darker themes prevalent in his women's collections to the traditionally more conservative menswear division.
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