Givenchy is a French brand that is best-known for making haute-couture clothing, perfumes, accessories and cosmetics as well. Started in 1952 by French designer Hubert de Givenchy, the house of Givenchy is a member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter and is owned by the LVMH luxury group.

He is far more than a couturier, he is a creator of personality,” Hubert de Givenchy’s muse Audrey Hepburn said of the designer.

Loved by some of the most iconic stars of the 20th Century — from Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy and Wallis Simpson, to his most famous muse Audrey Hepburn — Givenchy’s name and legacy have been synonymous with Parisian chic for more than 50 years. Givenchy sold his label in 1988, and retired seven years later, only to watch his former business go from strength to strength under some of the industry’s most exciting designers; from John Galliano, to Alexander McQueen, to Riccardo Tisci. Givenchy, now in his Eighties, is almost entirely absent from the fashion spotlight, only emerging to comment on momentous fashion occasions like the royal wedding.

History of the house

Born in 1927, Hubert James Taffin de Givenchy founded his namesake House in 1952. That same year, he presented a collection that would leave an indelible mark on fashion history: his “separates” — elegant blouses and light skirts blending architectural lines and simplicity — met with enormous success in light of the more constricted looks of the day.

The “enfant terrible of Haute Couture” was born. Spare lines, slender hips, slim silhouettes and swan-like necks won over actresses from around the world. In 1955, Hubert de Givenchy presented his first shirtdress; the evolution toward lanterns-shapes would become iconic. Audrey Hepburn, as the designer’s muse, accompanied him in inventing a style that would redefine standards of beauty.

In 1969, the launch of the “Givenchy Gentleman” line would become a reference in men’s fashion. After a career spanning more than 40 years, and having become a part of the LVMH group in 1988, Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995. He would be succeeded by some of fashion’s great creative talents, among them John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Julien MacDonald, and Riccardo Tisci. In spring 2017, Clare Waight Keller was named artistic director of Haute Couture and women’s and men’s ready-to-wear.

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Celebrated as one of the world’s most elegant men of his time, Givenchy championed a balance between classicism and casualness for his men’s ready-to-wear collection “Givenchy Gentleman”.

A reflection of Hubert de Givenchy’s temperament and personal history, the artistic direction is resolute and undeniable: the Givenchy man is above all a gentleman. His style is imbued with restraint and aristocratic distinction. The designer’s definition of masculine elegance champions a subtle mix of classicism and ease. “I intend to stay classic. To round out his vision of men’s elegance and the “Givenchy Gentleman” style, the designer launched a perfume of the same name in 1975. It still exists today, alongside the Givenchy men’s ready-to-wear line.