White lace and promises

HUBERT JAMES MARCEL TAFFIN DE GIVENCHY, the famous and world renowned French fashion designer, acknowledged for his marvellous fashion sense, once said, ‘The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress.’

The House of Givenchy was founded in 1952, and has come to represent elegance and classy innovations since. A number of famous fashionable women were attracted by Givenchy’s outstanding designs, including Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Lauren Bacall, and Ingrid Bergman.

On July 4, 2011 Riccardo Tisci unveiled Givenchy’s new season’s collection during haute couture fashion week in Paris. Tisci, an Italian fashion designer, was appointed Givenchy’s creative director for the house’s haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories line in 2005.

Upon entering the presentation, we discover sensual features and highly feminine elements on display. Tisci chose to present the pieces in an installation rather than in a fashion show. Taking place at the luxurious Hôtel d’Evreux in Paris, overlooking the stunning Place Vendôme, the sun’s rays brightly beamed through the windows. As soon as spectators entered the dazzling setting, they automatically walked into Tisci’s world of extravagance filled with invigorating designs, alluring materials and techniques.

A total of ten truly fabulous contemporary and modern dresses were featured in three different rooms: ‘birds of paradise’, ‘tears of angels’, and the ‘cloud room.’ Dresses were suspended from high ceilings for the invited guests to closely look at and admire. As we arrived at the end of the tour, the final room featured a large group picture of ten models, each wearing one of the ten dresses.

The pieces seem delicate and slightly fragile but they portray a tough woman with sublime sophistication. The designer perfectly placed elegant detailed patterns together to form exquisitely romantic and daring aspects that perfectly underline modern classiness. From ostrich and goose feathers, metal and leather, everything worked together to form spectacular designs. •

Lola Saab is Paris editor of Lucire.

Midnight magic at Chanel
Chanel’s autumn–winter 2011–12 haute couture collection was set in a re-creation of the Place Vendôme, as Karl Lagerfeld masterfully taps once more into the soul of Coco, writes Vicki Matias
photographs courtesy Chanel