GIVENCHY UNVEILS SPRING-SUMMER 2021 CAMPAIGN
BY MATTHEW M. WILLIAMS
In his first global advertising campaign, the Creative Director reveals his vision with help from an all-star lineup of likeminded artists.
Givenchy is pleased to unveil the first images from its Spring-Summer 2021 global advertising campaign, produced under the supervision of Creative Director Matthew M. Williams.
To illustrate his vision, the designer called on close friends in his tight-knit community of artists. Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Playboi Carti and the supermodels Anok Yai and Liam Powers were each invited to put their own stamp on key pieces, the better to highlight the importance of cultivating a powerful personal style.
“To me, fashion expresses a point of view where formality and informality, construction and comfort co-exist. My ethos is about the luxury of infusing clothes with your own personality, not being worn by them,” said Matthew M. Williams. “In each of these portraits, a strong character wears a look that reflects who they are: they’re the ones who bring the clothes to life.”
Having lensed two Matthew M. Williams’ lookbooks for Givenchy, the Korean-born German photographer Heji Shin here oversees visual identity, showcasing individuality in portraits informed by vintage Nineties-era spreads and enhanced by crisp, grainy backgrounds in Pop colors. Each backdrop was chosen specifically to accentuate each subject’s personality and mood.
Models wear looks from Matthew M. Williams’ Spring-Summer 2021 collection that debuted last October: Anok Yai appears in a crinkled black leather jacket and trousers that pop against an acid green background, while Playboi Carti styled himself in a black leather bomber slipped off his shoulder to reveal a couple of tattoos, or in a white tank with pink denim trousers and the new Antigona crossbody bag. Kendall Jenner embodies both the feminine and masculine side of the Givenchy woman, posing either in a body-skimming russet ensemble with a thick G-chain choker and a small gold Antigona handbag, or in sharply tailored, black overcoat and trousers with the versatile new Cut-Out bag. With feline grace, Bella Hadid crouches in profile against a sage green background; the nonchalant Marshmallow slide creates a counterpoint to the more formal long, pistachio dress with a fresh take on the ‘Jour’ open back and embellished with Matthew M. Williams’ signature hardware. The freshly re-stylized 4G emblem also appears like a hallmark in the ad’s graphic layout, floating separately from the Givenchy signature.