In 1952, when Hubert de Givenchy presented his debut collection, he single-handedly reintroduced tailored shirting back into the sphere of high fashion with his Bettina blouse – cementing a legacy of clean lines and separates for the brand.
Last night, for the brand’s Spring/Summer 2021 digital showcase, newly-appointed creative director Matthew M Williams, redefined that house legacy with his signature urban-wear-meets-futuristic touch: the result being a tougher and kinkier Givenchy for A.D. 2021.
Partial to hardware and sci-fi industrial trappings – well documented at his own label Alyx and collaboration with Dior Men – Williams’ first collection poses a striking yet bold statement with the recurring lock motif which is a nod to the Lover’s Lock seen on Paris’ Ponte des Arts.
The collection – much like that said object – puts a focus on the multifaceted qualities of utility, decoration, commitment, and emotion while paying homage to the label’s intrinsically French roots (read: luxurious sharp tailoring a la Monsieur de Givenchy).
Redone archival classics like the Hom-heel and Antigona Bag intermix with Williams’ finesse of subversive, gender nonconforming designs including the Cutout bag and G-Chains – a nod to the duality and reawakened design sensibilities we’re seeing from the luxury label we might see in time to come.
Scroll through our gallery below, to see Williams’ complete vision for Spring/Summer 2021.
