Release of Givenchy Catwalk, The Complete Collections
Last Thursday marked the release of Givenchy Catwalk, The Complete Collections. This 632-page coffee table book is the first ever comprehensive print publication on the couture house. Containing thousands of images, it explores over 70 years of haute couture and ready-to-wear collections from the house's establishment in 1952 up until the Fall 2023 collection.
This book opens with a succinct history of the fashion house and its rise as a symbol of elegance. It is then organized by time periods, each one marked by a new designer taking charge. At the start of each section, there is a short introduction highlighting each new designer's influence and legacy - starting from the young French founder Hubert de Givenchy to the current artistic director Matthew M. Williams. The collection connects the dots by showing how each designer was influenced by their predecessors and the fashion landscape of the time, and the way this impacted the work of their successors and Givenchy’s contemporary style.
The book sheds light on other fashion history moments seen through a Givenchy lens. This includes the return of Gabrielle Chanel, the emergence of Andre Courreges, and Yves Saint Laurent's influence. It also explores Givenchy’s early connections - particularly Audrey Hepburn’s influence as his muse (pictured together to the side), and collaboration with Cristobal Balenciaga. The anthology is written by fashion historian and curator Alexandre Samson and critic Anders Christian Madsen.
In the words of Samson, “this book is an opportunity to trace the creative development of the fashion house’s founder and his successors.” “It is also an opportunity to examine the reactions they provoked at the time, and how these are echoes in our own.”
To Madsen, this book highlighted the value of fashion critique. The book contains archives of both positive and negative press, showing how the collections were received at the time. “It really reminded me of how important it is that we continue to document the shows and not just the celebrities who attend them. That's my hope for the book"
Givenchy Catwalk, The Complete Collections is the ninth in a series of high-end, cloth-bound volumes showcasing top fashion houses. It follows publications dedicated to Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, Vivienne Westwood, Versace, and Chloe.
Article by Richelle Hodson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Paige Schubert, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine
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