by Carolyn Chambers
One of the most successful brands in the world of men's and women's fashion and accessories is the French label, Givenchy. The company was started in 1952 by the renowned designer Hubert de Givenchy. After his retirement, its excellent reputation was later maintained by a series of high profile designers, the first of which was John Galliano. He was followed by Alexander McQueen and then the men's and women's lines were split with Julien McDonald taking responsibility for the women's and Ozwald Boateng heading up the men's range. Then, in 2005, Riccardo Tisci became lead designer for women's wear.
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The brand produces both ready to wear lines and haute couture. Tisci brought a contemporary edge to the collection, with gothic and futuristic themes that met with mixed reviews from the critics. The Givenchy Company did gain a favorable revamp of its image however and is no longer seen merely as the label of a previous generation. Hubert de Givenchy built his own reputation on having some of the most elegant women in the world as clients, including Princess Grace of Monaco, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Audrey Hepburn.
Hepburn was a particular favorite of the designer and she wore Givenchy creations in her movies, Funny Face and Sabrina. It was reported in 2006 that the black dress she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's in 1961 was sold at auction in London for over $1 million. The money was given to a charity involved with the poor in India called City of Joy Aid. Hubert de Givenchy chose the charity as the recipient of the sale.
Today, the company enjoys continuing success, fondly remembered for its past triumphs but also keeping ahead of the contemporary scene. It's now owned by the European conglomerate, LVMH. In addition to the clothing lines, the brand produces perfume, cologne, after-shave and cosmetics. There is also a range of accessories, such as sunglasses, belts, shoes and bags. Givenchy watches are available too. They are attractively designed in a geometric style and the mechanisms are designed by Swiss timepiece experts.
The 2007 ready to wear collection for women is an elegant range of mainly black, white or gray designs. This latest offering from Givenchy makes easy choices for women when it comes to accessorizing the outfits, as there is no clash of color. The brand has, once again, blended traditional cut with modern flair and is sure to be a success with loyal customers.
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