Givenchy S/S 2016 Clothing Collection.

Kim and Kanye West.

Describing the collection as “a celebration of life, pure love, different religions and all people.,” Riccardo Tisci led the Spring Summer 2016 Collection Catwalk during New York Fashion Week. The collection was notably a variation of clothing, some pieces inspired by Givenchy's earlier clothing designs. This catwalk marked the 10 years of Tisci at Givenchy, so this show was not to be missed. Celebrities from all over gathered at the Freedom Tower, which was also marking it's own 14th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers. Givenchy dedicated this collection to the city of New York, particularly through the location of the show, which is usually delivered in Paris. Two thousand spectators gathered to see the show, such as Kim Kardashian-West and her husband Kanye, Courtney Love and Liv Tyler. Alongside these A-Listers, sat ordinary New York citizens, and fashion students, after Givenchy decided to release 800 tickets to the general public. As the guests entered the show, they were welcomed by recycled materials, and crates as seats. I think that this is interesting of the artistic director, Marina Abramovic due to the usual luxury that Givenchy oozes.

Givenchy SS2016.

The collection entwines haute-couture as well as ready-to-wear, in a very small palette, black or white. Most of the collection only consisted of these two colours in various tones such as creams or greys, but some had injections of gold and silver. This restricted palette radiated luxury, as well as an essence of the avant grade. Givenchy had a collection that oozes both femininity, as well as structure, mixing different pieces together. A lot of silks and lace were used by Givenchy for the Spring/Summer 2016 Collection, as well as many pearls. The silks were often used to soften the looks and make them more feminine, whilst I found that the lace added tradition and quality to the pieces. The softness is not only portrayed throughout the material itself, but also how the piece is put together. I noticed that a lot of the silk pieces are very floaty, with little or no waistline and structure. Instead, the structure is transferred through to the heavier materials, such as the tuxedo jackets. Detail is thoroughly important in this collection, even the shoes are patterned like lace with a classic brogue-like front, then transformed into an elegant heel. I think that the corset-like front is very effective, as the essence of tradition once again oozes through the clothing. The lace in the clothing, to me, portrayed women's lingerie. I found that not only the flowery and intricate patterns showed off the femininity, but also the shapes of the pieces.  Feathers and snake-print were often found in the designs for this year. I found it interesting how the pieces were feminine in some aspects, and then not as such in others. For example, the feather, mermaid-tailed dress was very elegant and feminine at the bottom half, as the material glided down the runway. However, when you reach the top section of the dress, the clothing is thin mesh-like material. This is revealing, and not as feminine as the bottom half of the dress. I think that it is interesting how Givenchy have managed this, as the dress is still luxurious but risqué. Although the collection is haute-couture, the use of black for a Spring Collection interested me. Whilst other brands are using vibrant colours in their Spring collections, Givenchy played it cool with the black and white palette. I think that this is to keep in touch with the younger generations, who wear black all-year round, and is a popular colour choice that is trending right now. The monochromatic colour scheme is also popular in society right now, which is possibly why Givenchy decided to restrict the colours in their collection. The designs have come a long way from the iconic 'Little Black Dress' that was featured in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' by Audrey Hepburn, but I feel that there is an essence of elegance as well as challenging the social norm. At the time, the dress for 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' was a lot shorter than others.

Givenchy SS2016.

I will be able to use this show as inspiration for my three shoots. I think that it is important for me to study not only the makeup, but the clothing as well. As Givenchy originated as a fashion house, the clothing is the roots of the brand. Personally, I really liked the clothing that featured in the collection. I think that it is interesting how Givenchy has managed to entwine both femininity and structure, and I particularly enjoy the use of silks, lace and feathers. I now need to look at the makeup and hair from the show, as I feel that the makeup is there to compliment the clothes. Although we are focusing on the makeup for the shoots for the catwalk, advertising and editorial, I would like to try and entwine both the clothing and makeup. This has really inspired me to begin designing my makeup looks, and thinking about my photoshoots. 

Moss, V. (2015) Riccardo Tisci celebrates 10 years at Givenchy with love, religion and a clan of celebrities. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/new-york-fashion-week/givenchy-spring-summer-2016-show/ (Accessed: 16 February 2016).
Bumpus, J. (2015) Givenchy - SS2016 - Ready-to-Wear. Available at: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2016/ready-to-wear/givenchy (Accessed: 16 February 2016).