Givenchy S/S 2016 Menswear Collection

On the 26th June 2015, the Givenchy S/S 2016 Menswear Collection was revealed in Paris. The collection was under the close scrutiny of creative director Riccardo Tsici, whose strong Catholic roots were prominent within the clothing design. Religion features in many of the designs for Givenchy as it is such an important role in Tisci's life, however, it has never been so apparent. The theme for this year's menswear collection was that of the incarcerated male, and Tisci's influence was that of the world's most renowned male prisoner, Jesus Christ.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

This symbolic reference towards Jesus Christ was prominent throughout the clothing and accessories, as well as the catwalk itself. Sat at the end of the catwalk, a large cage. Hung around each model's neck was a large key, symbolising that these men are prisoners. Here, I think Tisci could have also of been referencing the males as new prisoners of fashion, as menswear is becoming a larger and larger market. On the clothing themselves, printed Jesus and ID tag numbers. Images of Jesus printed onto the clothing was included as Jesus is such a large icon to male inmates in prisons, and he plays a large part in many inmates lives. Contrasting this, was the use of the female models. Female Models in Menswear Collections are becoming more and more apparent, and the Givenchy Spring/Summer 2016 Menswear Collection was no exception. The likes of Kendall Jenner, Naomi Campbell and Joan Smalls featured on this year's runway, in feathered, fringed, flowing dresses. They were from the jail inmates' dreams, the pin-up models that share the same fascination from the prisoners as Jesus. It was almost as if Tisci was portraying the saints and sinners throughout this collection, as the prisoners have the iconic Jesus Christ to support them, but are also lured towards the beauty and glamour of the women.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

The mens clothing was varied, some were very simple items such as V-Neck, Navy Blue Sweatshirts that swamped the models, whilst some were printed symbols on bright blue tuxedo jackets, with a matching T-Shirt Dress and shoes. Blues, Blacks, Greys and Whites were all very apparent throughout the menswear, as well as shape. The shaping and structure of the clothing was oversized, but with either a very sharp structure, or slouched. There was a modern-tribal, urban feel to the clothes, as Tisci had used a range of materials for this collection. The materials ranged from printed denim jeans, to sheer blouses, to heavy white jackets. The mixture could have so easily been seen as a mistake, although Tisci had managed to pull this collection off. The star-printed jeans are reminiscent of the 1990s, but alongside the rest of the collection, fit in very well. I particularly liked the outfit that consisted of the black sweatshirt, alongside the loose basketball shorts, which had a false skirt covering them. I particularly liked the use of colours, and the royal blue and the orange print of Jesus looking up towards the model caught my eye. There was a clear feminine feel to some pieces of the clothing, although not as much as in some catwalks. The shoes, in particular, were the same style as T-Bar flat shoes, the same as you would find on a doll.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

The women contrasted the mens completely, but still complimented the mens collection. There were 11 styles of haute couture clothing for the ladies, which was a clever way for Riccardo to introduce these styles to the general public. The clothing was exquisite, finely detailed and feminine. Feathers, fringing and ruffles all appeared on the dresses, which were of a mid length, and a lot of the time, very sheer. The female model's underwear peered through the clothing, which to me represents the females luring in the men. The last entrance of Naomi Campbell surely stole the show, wearing lingerie and only a glittery jacket to cover her body. Although this was a Menswear collection, I can't help but feel like the women took over the show. The dresses were individually beautiful, adorned in sparkles and jewels. I feel like it is important for me to research both the menswear and the ready-to-wear collections,  as they are both an equal part of Givenchy. I liked the use of the pastel tones of the womenswear, contrasting against the restricted mens-wear palette. I feel that the dresses that the female models wore in this collection link closely to the makeup collection that Givenchy Beauty is releasing in March 2016, 'La Revelation Originelle'. This collection consists of pastel tones, as well as some brighter pinks. I think it would be interesting to try and contrast the pastel tones and the dark tones that Givenchy use, I would like to experiment with how this would look in a photoshoot.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

Givenchy Menswear, SS2016.

 Michault, J. and Staiano, G. (2016) Givenchy-Menswear-SS16-Paris-7650.jpg. Available at: http://nowfashion.com/givenchy-menswear-spring-summer-2016-paris-14880 (Accessed: 20 February 2016).

Blanks, T. (2014) Givenchy spring 2016 menswear fashion show. Available at: http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2016-menswear/givenchy (Accessed: 20 February 2016).