Last night in Paris was the launch of the second collection by Clare Waight Keller at the Givenchy Autumn 2018 couture show. Three months after the loss of the French house’s founder, Hubert de Givenchy, the British artistic director was able to create a show that connected the present to past glorious times.
The event was set in the gardens behind the Archives Nationales, and the peculiar catwalk was in metallic bronze. The collection presented was the second project by Waight Keller, who joined Givenchy only a year ago, and became artistic director of haute couture & women’s and men’s ready-to-wear collections.
Clare was born in Birmingham, did art studies in London and moved to New York where she entered the fashion panorama. In regards to her successful career, it is worth to mention that she started with Calvin Klein, moved to Ralph Lauren and then Gucci, then she also joined Chloé too. She’s received awards and was the first woman to head Givenchy.
She wanted to pay a tribute in this important occasion to Givenchy, who created the house back in 1952 and she was honoured to meet when she got the role of artistic director. Simply put, the collection presented yesterday was a return to the 50’s and 60’s, when Hubert was dressing stars like the unforgettable and iconic Audrey Hepburn.
Clare commented: “He passed only three months ago, I realised his legacy needed to be celebrated”. After the successful gown and veil she created for the English Royal Wedding, worn by Meghan Markle and now famous worldwide, this is another great result.
She put a little bit of modernity in the elegance typical of Givenchy, using rich silks, French velvet, soft leathers, Japanese bonding techniques and sequins designs.
It was a 42-look collection and the name ‘Caraman‘ is the hidden but clear reference to Givenchy, as the Duke of Caraman was the previous owner of the townhouse where the first atelier opened in 1959. Nothing is left to chance.
#Peace.Love.Givenchy
