Givenchy Fall Winter 2019 Men’s RTW Collection
For Fall-Winter 2019/20, Givenchy returns to the Paris men’s wear calendar with a standalone collection that showcases its new vision of a complete, day to evening wardrobe brimming with contrast, eclectic pairings and a nod to the maverick individualism of the Nineties. Recast in a modernized way, the mood of the era comes through in a series of color-blocked suits; embellished pieces in embroidered leather underscore a sense of specialness. Sleek and generous shapes rooted in the Seventies mingle with transparency, iridescence, bold texture and innovative treatments.
To anchor the very Parisian spirit of Givenchy men’s wear, the house chose to show the collection in an elegant Haussmannian apartment and in the Palais Brongniart, originally the Paris Bourse (stock market). A masterpiece of neoclassical architecture, this monument was built at Napoleon’s request and based on ancient Roman temples, with allegorical statues and a majestic peristyle featuring 82 Corinthian columns.
Drawing from past and present, Clare Waight Keller builds character through volume, mixing lean lines with loose and oversized pieces. Slim suit jackets and boxy coats pair with carefree flares or loosen up with karate trousers; iridescence and bold hues of violet, fuchsia and electric blue mix with more classic shades of black, navy, and camel; compelling textures include crinkled leather, bonded fabric, and panels of stubbly microglass hand-beading.
White plastron shirts are given the couture treatment. Traditional checks are tailored into coats and jackets with mother-of-pearl buttons and occasionally embellished with leopard spots. A waffled coat in bonded wool reverses from a black and white motif to lustrous black ‘raffia’-textured wool. Elsewhere, a windbreaker in couture technical fabric has the sheen of moiré; a white jacket shines with transparent sequins, puffers layer atop one another and a hybrid garment, the down parka, offers the Givenchy man a new means of expression — as do “collage” shirts made from signature Givenchy prints, including this season’s ‘Pegasus’ theme, or graphic text t-shirts and outerwear.
Footwear bridges classic styles and younger, more experimental shapes such as a three-buckle monk boot and a mid-calf boot. Thick, flat-soled sneakers from the Givenchy pre-fall collection are back, as are slightly higher biker boots on rock-inflected looks complete with talismanic charms and signet rings. Patent leather derbies lend a sophisticated finishing touch to dressier looks. Innovative seasonal finishes include a slick, petrol-finish leather worked as a trench, biker trousers or a short line of accessories ranging from small leather pouches to triangular cross-body bags and roomy weekenders.