Givenchy designs for the Jane of all trades

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Sep 30, 2019

Thrashing out a deal over a business lunch, hobnobbing at a society soirée, revelling in a romantic country stroll  – next summer's Givenchy woman can do it all, if the latest collection from Clare Waight Keller is anything to go by. This season the designer put together a wardrobe of contrasts, mixing precise, almost minimalist, elegance with a bohemian spring spirit, taking her audience on a trip back to the 1990s.

Entitled "NY Paris 1993," the collection played on the contrast between "the raw spirit of New York denim and Paris in bloom," as explained by the brand in a press release. In a nutshell: jeans and leather versus embroidery and floral prints. 

The clothes were luxurious and comfortable: long-sleeved, low-cut dresses were slit up the front, cotton maxi-skirts ruched at the waist, while leather tops rubbed shoulders with outfits combining flowing creased trousers, sandals and puff-sleeved silk blouses. The slender silhouette of most pieces and a series of monochrome looks gave the models an air of chic nonchalance. 

Among the more classic pieces there was leather galore, seen in emerald green dresses, sleeveless trenches, slit calf-length skirts, zip-up gilets, tube tops and high-heeled boots. Some models adopted a new suit style, pairing shorts with long jackets, while others finished their looks with little golden pocket chains attached to their trousers or the collar of their shirts, reinforcing a certain masculine edge.  

Denim also made a notable comeback, channelling a 90s grunge vibe thanks to upcycled fabric from the era. From ripped baggy jeans to long frayed slit skirts via stonewashed shorts, there was something for everyone. The collection even experimented with some two-tone pieces, mixing sky blue and indigo or faded and ripped denim in jeans and coats. 

A third and final source of inspiration was evident in the floral prints seen in boho maxi-dresses with high collars and long sleeves, off-the-shoulder poplin summer dresses and embroidered outfits decorated with appliqué fabric flowers. In some pieces, one shoulder was left bare, while the other was bulked out with the volume of a puffed sleeve.