Men’s – Botswana. Givenchy AW16

January 25, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

I’ve been so excited about Riccardo Tisci‘s stree-style-wise pre-fall 2016 look-book which was photographed in Berlin – but I don’t feel that excitement anymore, if talking of Givenchy‘s menswear outing. It just feels like a look-back at the collections that Tisci delivered for men in the last few years. This season, the mood-board was all about a very narrow and specific theme – it was photographer Frank Marshall’s images of Botswana and its music devotees dressed up in their favourite band t-shirts, fringed biker jackets and cowboy hats. Indeed, it’s quite difficult to imagine the leather-filled Wild West in the heart in this African country. “I looked in the book and saw these gangs, their freedom – it was something very new for me”. There was a free-spirited attitude in the collection, which has also brought a spotlight on Africa’s stereotype-breaking subcultures. However, if you won’t pay attention to what books Tisci holds on his bookshelf, then the menswear part seems to look good, but surely not ground-breaking.

I have the same feelings towards the women’s part, which in reality is the spring-summer 2016 haute couture collection (smartly overlapped with menswear for the next season). Back in the days, when Givenchy’s creative director did separate haute couture presentations, everybody knew his girl well. You surely didn’t want to mess up with her. Her black, lace gown, fur stole and vampish make-up tells it all – she is a romantic, slightly gothic dame. And as you see, she hasn’t changed even a bit, she is still the Tisci girl from the Instagram favoured #GivenchyGang. The haute couture part is a collection of masterpieces (take the hand-embroidered cape with circular patterns), but just like in the case of menswear – doesn’t feel fresh.

Berlin. Givenchy Pre-Fall’16

January 7, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Who would have thought that Berlin is suddenly becoming fashion’s favourite city? After Gucci presented its spring-summer 2016 campaign photographed by Glen Luchford (club WCs, peacocks and rooftops – see it here), the creative director of Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci, took the edgy streets of Kreuzberg by storm. The pre-fall 2016 collection is not only great because of the location, which I deeply adore – Riccardo comes back to his roots, which are all about fashion, and not the celebrity circus. Masculine pyjama layered with a lace skirt; sharp apparel channelled by Irina Shayk; “cheesy”, pink ankle-boots styled with romantic shoulder-exposing tops. Although there are no literal references of the city, the collection is very close to Berlin’s youthful attitude – the girls in here twist vintage looking suits with rock’n’roll biker jackets and simple, yet soigné spaghetti-strap tops. In other words, Berlin’s urban chic is getting a refined revamp by a French maison. Good try, Riccardo. I’m into it.

New York. Givenchy SS16

September 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Having Givenchy in New York is unusual – this historical, French house in the Big Apple. Riccardo Tisci‘s plan to expand the brand in America is already taking a spin, as the first Givenchy flagship has just opened. The show (which quested about 1000 people – fashionistas, editors and real people, who caught their free tickets) was artistically directed by Marina Abramovic on Pier 26 with a stunning view on Manhattan. The clothes were interesting, too – satin tops and dresses were sexy while lace details gave the entire collection a romantic mood. Tisci also brought some haute couture to NYC – the eveningwear was mesmerizing. Tulle in the shape of alligator skin on a body-dress was an absolute favourite. Of course, Riccardo’s Givenchy wouldn’t be Givenchy without some splendour – the model had nose-rings and crystals “attached” to their faces, looking like princesses from the Arabian Nights. In comparison to the last few collections of Givenchy, this one was a really, really good one. And it feels like Riccardo Tisci again looks towards the clothes, and not celebrities.

Men’s – Christ Couture. Givenchy SS16

June 27, 2015January 6, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Riccardo Tisci‘s latest idea for Givenchy seems to be deeply rooted in his best-selling collections from the past. As most thought he ended his exhausting journey with digital prints and t-shirts, now we know he came back on the easy ride. And again, just like few seasons ago, it is all about religion and Jesus. Jesus everywhere, on men-skirts to sweatshirts. Definitely. these will sell like hot buns… but also, this collection had its another side – Riccardo strongly based his inspirations on America and different denims shades of denim, giving everybody a clue, that True Religion might have been on one of the mood-boards: slim-fit jeans with star print worn shirtless with a cross.

However, the menswear part was shamelessly dimmed by the sudden Haute Couture collection for women. When I firstly saw Maria Carla Boscono wearing a bandeau on her head and a long chain of crucifix around her neck, I instantly thought of JLo and her famous “Ain’t it Funny” era. Then the dresses… a kind of gypsy-esque boheme which got crashed by #GivenchyGang (the models in black suites were holding jailer’s key dangling to look like Italian criminals from movies). Men’s SS16 and women’s Haute Couture had its borders between spirituality and “boys-and-girls-doing-bad-things” very blurred. Definitily this is what Riccardo Tisci wanted to demonstrate this season.

Green. Givenchy Resort’16

June 18, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Wow – green? Yes! Riccardo Tisci absoutely shocked me with his very detox-coloured Resort for Givenchy. Minty dresses, olive skirts, khaki jackets, emerald animal prints (kind of eew) – mostly everything was splashed with the colour of peace, matcha tea and pea. And not overkill it, Tisci brought on the totally white looks at the end, giving us a smooth, elegant ending. To make it even more unexpected, the Givenchy team shot the look-book on the streets of London – this gives us a hint that the house thrives to surprise again, leaving behind printed t-shirts and dressing Kim and Kanye.