Givenchy Women

In 1927, a small town Beauvais in northern France saw the birth of a boy named Hubert James Taffin de Givenchy. His grandfather was a tapestry maker and he was brought up by him due to the death of his father when he was still young. He visited the fashion pavilion when he was only ten years old and his interest in fashion hailed from that little visit. He then studied at Beaux-Arts School in Paris after the Second World War. In 1945, Givenchy was employed by Jacques Fath and worked with him for a year when he was taken up by Robert Piguet and by Lucien Lelong in 1946. He was then hired by Elsa Schiaparelli in 1952 with whom he learned everything there was to learn about accessories and this proved to be the foundation stone for an illustrious career ahead. Then in 1952, Hubert James Taffin de Givenchy inaugurated his own fashion house at 8, rue Alfred de Vigny, near the Parc Monceau. Givenchy was short of funds in the beginning so he presented his first collection using plain white cotton men’s shirting material for his designs and named his collection Bettina after the name of a famous French model Bettina Graziani. The “bettina” blouse was an instant hit and so was Givenchy.

This gave the aspiring designer a major break in the vast field of fashion and a daunting success followed in the later years. The designer sold his company in 1988 to LVMH (Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton,) and took a well earned break 43 years later since he started, in the year 1995 and handed the reins of his horse to another designer John Galliano followed by Alexander McQueen. The designer Julien McDonald was given the postion of Artistic designer for women wear in 2001. Givenchy has been an influence for all aspiring designers since the beginning and his influence was none other than the famous fashion icon Balenciaga who helped him develop as an expert designer assisting him to become what he desired to become. Givenchy’s success attracted another kind of clientele, the kind that we call celebrities. Women loved him for his unique taste in clothing and elegant ladies like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the Duchess of Windsor, Gloria Guiness, Bunny Mellon, Mercedes Kellog and actress Capucine adored him and were dressed by him. His two esteemed clients included Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. He designed a somber dress for Jackie Kennedy which she wore at her husband’s funeral. Audrey Hepburn was a juvenile and a peculiar teenage actress when Givenchy met her.

He dressed her for her first big movie “Sabrina” and continued to do so for an astonishing forty years. Givenchy fashion house has become an Empire over the years ruled by the man himself and guided by competent and proficient designers this world has ever seen. He also ventured into fragrances and put his skills to test when he designed his first perfume L'Interdit in January 1957 which also gained a gigantic recognition among the masses. Various shops that sell extravagant Givenchy items in United States include Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in cities like Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chestnut Hill, Costa Mesa, Atlanta, and Houston. From Givenchy nylon jackets to Givenchy hosiery, everything in his fashion house exudes elegance and sophistication. Givenchy clothes never fail to impress his audience, be it Givenchy pantyhose or Givenchy tights, women around the globe admire him for his creativity and originality. Givenchy gowns are as equally popular among the dignitaries. Givenchy website can be consulted for details on the latest Givenchy products.