Why must the "news" be always agenda-driven, even in the fashion pages?
"In a 2007 interview with Women’s Wear Daily, however, Mr. Givenchy allowed: 'I suffer. What is happening doesn’t make me happy. After all, one is proud of one’s name.'
"This was a rare moment of indiscretion. ..."
Since when did speaking one's mind frankly and honestly become "indiscretion"? I always thought lying and misleading was "indiscreet".
1
With the passing of this great designer, we draw closer and closer to the end of the era when fashion celebrated elegance and femininity.
Today we're a far cry from his age of elegance. We see ripped, slit and skin tight ugly rubbish and observe how the shape of the average "lady" today has too changed, such that, perhaps a move to the bag-like space suits as seen in 1970's t.v. sci-fi series may not be such a bad thing.
R.I.P. Msr de Givenchy.
In reply to Ann of Louisana:
"A few years back, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid hosted the first (and only?) major retrospective dedicated to Hubert de Givenchy. The exhibition ran from 22 october 2014 to 18 january 2015".
Ann,
How lucky you were! I still don't know how I missed that once-in-a-lifetime exhibition in Madrid! I did not hear about it until 2017!
However, I went to Château de Haroué near Nancy, France to see the fashion exhibition also curated by M. de Givenchy, 3 Grands Créateurs: Cristobal BALENCIAGA, Philippe VENET, Hubert de GIVENCHY, from may 6 - Aug 17, 2010. The setting was Château de Haroué, home of Princes de Beauvau Craon, currently owned and maintained by Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon, whose wedding gown was designed by Venet and was on display in a small room dedicated to it alone.
Back then I had no clue of relationship between M. de Givenchy and M. Venet.
It was one of my most unforgettable trips to French Countryside and I walked right into the French history of architecture, high fashion and interior decoration, all aspects in which the French excels!
A few years later, I read an article in NYT about Château de Haroué and I love the interview NYT did with Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon.
I also dream of attending the outdoor opera staged at Château de Haroué someday.
Thank you NYT for this obituary of Hubert de Givenchy and for the interview of Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon on her effort to keep Château de Haroué going!
In reply to Ann of Louisana:
"A few years back, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid hosted the first (and only?) major retrospective dedicated to Hubert de Givenchy. The exhibition ran from 22 october 2014 to 18 january 2015".
Ann,
How lucky you were! I still don't know how I missed that once-in-a-lifetime exhibition in Madrid! I did not hear about it until 2017!
However, I went to Château de Haroué near Nancy, France to see the fashion exhibition also curated by M. de Givenchy, 3 Grands Créateurs: Cristobal BALENCIAGA, Philippe VENET, Hubert de GIVENCHY, from may 6 - Aug 17, 2010. The setting was Château de Haroué, home of Princes de Beauvau Craon, currently owned and maintained by Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon, whose wedding gown was designed by Venet and was on display in a small room dedicated to it alone.
Back then I had no clue of the relationship between M. de Givenchy and M. Venet.
It was one of my most unforgettable trips to French Countryside and I walked right into the French history of architecture, high fashion and interior decoration, all aspects in which the French excels!
A few years later, I read an article in NYT about Château de Haroué and I love the interview NYT did with Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon.
I also dream to attend the outdoor opera staged at In reply to Ann of
Thank you NYT for this obituary of Hubert de Givenchy and for the interview of Princess Minnie de Beauvau Craon on her effort to keep Château de Haroué going!
Clos de Fiorentina will hopefully stay as it is.
A perfect gentleman who likes women to be elegant, disdainful of vulgar celebrity seeking, is bound to create the opposite of what the current drama queens offer.
Amazing artist and designer, even adding some flare to our beautiful first lady!
"She touched down in a flame red caped Givenchy dress"
https://www.vogue.com/article/melania-trump-givenchy-christian-louboutin...
Rich bohemian? Holly Golightly was a call girl. Or an escort.
1
Hubert de Givenchy made even a "call girl" look elegant! A real grand master of haute couture.
Since the announcement on Monday of Hubert de Givenchy's death, I am wondering if a retrospective exhibition of his work might be appropriate for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. He was a master craftsman with an unparalleled eye for elegance and style. His creations and craftsmanship are timeless.. Truly a breath of fresh air and, at the moment, we could all use that!
In some respects, Hubert de Givenchy did not receive the recognition he deserved but - like others who are overlooked in life - receive their well earned and deserved accolades in death.
I have no idea if anyone at the Met will read this but I thought I would suggest it and I leave the rest to the fashion gods!
5
Thank you for speaking for my wish, too!
Yes, I hope the Met will stage an exhibition worthy of one of greatest couturiers of all time!
Please send your request/suggestion to the Met and I'll do my part. Let's help make the exhibition happen!
1
It's difficult to accept that Givenchy was not a nominee, along with Edith Head, for the Best Costume Design (Black and White) for 1954's "Sabrina" (1955 awards). Worse still that Ms. Head did not credit Givenchy's indelible contribution to that film, when the Oscar was awarded to "Sabrina". So much of what we remember is Audrey Hepburn in Givenchy's designs. The Motion Picture Academy could right that wrong with a posthumous Oscar for the very unjust slights associated with that award.
3
Before this era of thuggery there were men who were lovers and activists of the feminine form and its interpretation in fashion, art and culture. Oh, what we've lost.
5
You could tell M. Givenchy loved women by the way he designed their clothes. Elegance in every single detail.
6
Perfection.
4
My favorite of his dresses for Audrey is the yellowish orange one with the draped neck in the back in PARIS WHEN IT SIZZLES. That friends, is a dress!
4
Doesn't get any classier than Givenchy.
6
Romanticism takes another blow. Follow Mr. Givenchy's advice and show some elegance today to soften it.
7
RIP Monsieur Givenchy.
Nowhere in your article does he get the credit for one of my (and Audrey's too) favorite perfume: Le De.
as in Le de Givenchy.
Merci Monsieur, ta vie es eternelle
6
Farewell all the best designers are leaving us....nothing much has been interesting since the 1960's.
4
I'm wearing his Perfume right now! The bottle is from a trip I took to Paris in 1972! It still is exquisite! A great artist, thank you.
5
Thank you for revising M. de Givenchy's obituary to mention his longtime companion, Philippe Venet. Apparently, this was no secret. I wonder, therefore, how such an important element of his life was omitted the first time around. Better late than never, though. Thank you again.
8
The life they shared was no secret, especially to their friends and families. However, M. de Givenchy never made comments about his personal life as he was a very private man. I wished the current crop of so-called stars and celebrities would follow his example and stop blathering on about what is going on with their lives - so utterly common and pedestrian.
6
Oh, my, what a gentleman. I always admired how he handled the way he was treated by Edith Head--class all the way. He gave a wonderful interview a few years after Audrey Hepburn's death, in which he said she was like his little sister. They had such a perfect friendship. His clothes were just lovely, and they never dated--all of them could be worn today. To me, he was the epitome of the European aristocrat, and so talented.
14
The post war era signified a time of renewal, optimism and beauty, men and women were celebrated for their differences, that has been replaced by pessimism and unisex ugliness: it’s a sure bet that fashion reflects the mood of society, not the reverse. Hubert de Givenchy showed women how to look fabulous with six items of beautifully tailored clothes, Sam Walton and today’s merchandizers passing for designers have shown them how to look terrible with closets full of cheap Chinese goods.
16
I could not, repeat could not possibly agree with you more! I am literally sickened to my core at the utter and complete SLOBIFICATION of America every time I go out anywhere, even to a wedding for God’s sake! I see it stuck it’s hideous head up everywhere, everyday!! It is truly revolting.
1
Let’s face it, Givency was a poet of elegance who expressed a love of the female form in all his creations.
His ideas and designs are as desirable today as ever, he gave us new ways to dream about the meaning of clothes.
5
How beautifully and magnificently put Susan! “A poet of elegance”…… I am absolutely positive that Givenchy himself would have adored that phrase!
His designs are timeless and indelibly imprinted on screen- Charade, Funny Face and How to Steal a Million are iconic films.
5
Just watched Charade last night. In the opening credits Givenchy was credited for wardrobe. I noticed the impeccable lines, choice of fabrics, colors, structure and wit. His design eloquence and artistry stole the show. A true master.
6
Many have argued for and against fashion as 'art.' To examine this debate let's review how traditionally we have defined 'art'. The ability to elicit an emotional and/or truly visceral inner response; a mirror and often commentary on current political, social or cultural occurrences and as examples documenting certain times or periods in history with the ability to retain influence and affect. Fashion, like art, has done that and Givenchy epitomized the very definition of artist/fashion designer.
4
Audrey Hepburn, in Sabrina, on her way back from Paris, at Glen Cove train station, quintessential Givenchy! Will be burned in my memory!
22
AND -- the Glen Cove train station is still there... just like in the movie.
1
When I was a student in Paris in the 1970s, my neighbor was a Spanish couturière who had worked for Givenchy as well as a couple of other designers. She adored Givenchy's clothes but told me stories about unpleasant, even draconian, working conditions at his place of business, one reason she struck out on her own.
Years ago, I used to wear his eau de cologne for men, Habit Rouge. One evening at a cocktail party three persons identified the cologne and a fourth knew its scent. After this, I decided not to wear cologne any longer, even though this distinctive and special one suited me well. It was a real come on, I must say and lived up to its reputation in an advertisement featuring a male equestrian out hunting in a red riding habit!!
5
Oh dear. Habit Rouge is a Guerlain perfume, not Givenchy. The equestrian reference was to the leather, one of the notes in the scent.
4
I'm mistaken about Habit Rouge. It is a Guerlain not a Givenchy
creation. Still, it is French and though I never wore a Givenchy
cologne, I imagine it has had the same effect on people as the Guerlain.
2
Habit Rouge is Guerlian my dear, not Givenchy !!
2
Beginning about 1947, when I was 7 years old, living in a mild Chicago suburb, I was the lucky recipient of occasional issues of French Vogue from a peripatetic family friend. You can only begin to imagine how joyously my mind was set on a different track.
I too made a Vogue-pattern Givenchy, still have it, and have even worn it rather long after the time that I made it. It is still a beautiful dress by any standard. Couture sewing is an art worth learning.
We can only be grateful and glad that he lived for so long and gave such joyful style to so many. people
24
As well as his couture career, Givenchy had the most fantastic eye for decorative arts. He appreciated wonderful but unfashionable things, like Boulle furniture, and displayed it brilliantly. Museum designers might benefit from checking out his use of colour combinations.
10
Sitting here knowing I could never fully describe what a irreplaceable, gargantuan and iconic legend Givenchy was, is and FOREVER will be. I'll be 57 in a few months and in many ways was born too late and am of the exact same heart, mind and soul as Hubert. It is an inarguable fact the literal crumbling and pollution of society, insofar as how the wretched slobification of America is concerned is a revolting, inevitable fate. I've always been hugely envious of his passionately deep, loving friendship with Hepburn and I can still feel their love for each other from decades ago. How incredibly blessed where they?
With our country and world crumbling around us faster and faster by the hour the impeccable and breathtaking elegance that Givenchy created now seems like another planet altogether, not just this one decades ago. Most people in America wouldn't know how to dress themselves even semi-decently in legally permissible street clothes let alone even begin to approach the beauty he designed and produced. I literally feel like I'm wading into a C grade horror movie of wretchedly bad taste when I go ANYwhere now, even to a wedding, for Gods' sake! I'll forever hold Hubert De Givenchy, Audrey Hepburn and every last magnificently talented, iconic fashion designer up as the GENIUS Masters & Mistresses of Haute Couture they were and try, whenever I can, to further their fabulous legacies EVERY where & as often as I can! VIVE' LA HUBERT DE GIVENCHY!!!
36
You are so correct in using the term" solbification of America". One of my sons and I are absolutely in shock at how the people of our town dress! When to a Shen Dance show at our city auditorium. On the ticket formal dress please. Now here that means coat and tie, not a tux. In walked some in blue jeans and one guy had on cargo shorts with flip flops! Going to eat you'd think our entire town goes to the gym and then directly out to eat! NOT- they weigh on the average 275 to 300! Sweat pants reign! I mourn the death of elegance in our world. Even in NYC it isn't unusual to see people not "dressed" for the theater.
I probably shouldn't have been so critical but really, you can come out of Walmart looking better than most of these people. (If you avoid little flowers on most of their tops!)
9
"Slobification" is not just in America, the rest of the world is not too far behind either. It is not unusual to see young and not-too-young people everywhere in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops going to churches, theatres, restaurants and weddings. They think "smart" dressing is a pair of clean jeans (artfully ripped) and sneakers (designer and very expensive, naturally).
2
Loved the clothes and the perfumes.
10
Rest in peace, Monsieur de Givenchy. His couture was sublime; and everything about him was pure class. I remember reading that he invited Audrey Hepburn to use his private jet to fly herself home to Switzerland when she got very sick at the end of her life. Nothing scandalous or salacious with him -- just generosity, impeccable taste, and emphatic decency in addition to divine talent. What a rare gentleman the fashion industry has lost.
40
I have worn only Givenchy's Amarige cologne for years, although it's becoming harder to find at perfume counters these days. People often stop me to ask what I'm wearing because the scent is so appealing. Once on an elevator, a man asked me the name of my perfume because he was trying to find one for his wife and knew she would like it. One of my granddaughters was walking through the airport terminal in Charlotte with her family on their way to visit us when a stranger went past, and she said, "That lady smells just like Grandma!" I've never owned any of Givenchy's clothing designs, but I'm sure every woman who has one in her closet feels as if he created it just for her. I feel that way about Amarige. RIP, Hubert de Givenchy.
19
Watching the academy awards red carpet last week -- and the parade of absurdly, unflattering dresses held on by double-sided tape -- I exclaimed, "What would Audrey think!" Of course, I was thinking as much about Givenchy, who helped make her such a style icon. His elegant, spare style is little understood or practiced by those in Hollywood who prefer to show as much as possible without a thought to what is really sexy.
38
I wonder if they ever look in the mirror and think what was I thinking? I loved the star of Three Billboards but she needed some professional help!
Elegant dressing is a lost art. Style and class is in limited supply lately.
3
Givenchy was a gentleman who translated his aristocracy into simple elegant designs, and we are all the better for this gift to timeless fashion.
24
The designs he crafted are timeless. What's out there today is a travesty and a joke.
26
Elegant clothing that never goes out of style - Hubert de Givenchy.
22
Monsieur Givenchy never ever, ever made a woman look tacky or cheap. The thought would be anathema to this gentleman. But today when designers aren’t running amok in tackiness, they are coming up with ugly, deforming creations that debase women. I’ve stopped receiving all fashion magazines because of this. I could not afford M.Givenchy’s designs but I used his look as a guide. I join the countless other women who owe him a big debt of gratitude because he helped make us feel elegant and proud. I get it that style evolves. Modern twists are fine but how far do we have to go? How much grunge or porno bling do we have to endure? Let’s blend the past and the present: lovely ... and strong. Thank you Monsieur G. You were a genius.
131
"But today when designers aren’t running amok in tackiness, they are coming up with ugly, deforming creations that debase women. I’ve stopped receiving all fashion magazines because of this."
Well said! I feel the same about today's designers and fashion magazines. Thank you for speaking for me!
UK's Harper's Bazaar is the last and only fashion magazine I occasionally buy and read, but I'm sure it's on its "borrowed time" to remain elegant in content. Very sad!
1
Thank you to the Times for this moving and appropriate obituary.
Last year I saw several of Givency's pieces at a show at the V&A. Stunning craftsmanship - the sort of pieces that man my non-fashionatas companions stare at in total admiration.
In an age where all of our great couturiers are dying off, and Kanye and half of the Real Housewives are now "fashion designers," it is refreshing to be reminded of the excellence that is possible when one pursues an artistic vision rather than Instagram likes.
34
All of my family adore M. de Givenchy and Ms. Hepburn. This obituary is a wonderful tribute to an elegant man. I must say, however, that I am disappointed to see no mention whatsoever of the man's having had any romantic partners. If he had ever married or had children, I'm certain it would have been mentioned.
Accordingly, I am left to assume that M. de Givenchy was gay and, as I have heard said about certain other public figures, openly closeted. If this is the case, shouldn't there be some mention of that in his obituary?
3
Why would that matter to anyone? He was a great designer who left a legacy of elegance. If you need to know about his sex life, no doubt it is covered in a biography. It is probably the least interesting thing about him, or anyone else. Gay men and women have been out of the closet for decades; even before that, those of us who lived in SF, NYC or LA knew creative gay artists. They were no more extraordinary than any other artists.
2
Why should YOU be "disappointed" that there is "no mention whatsoever" of his "romantic partners"? Why do you feel entitled to know everything about this man's private life? Why would his sexual orientation or "romantic" life be any of the public's business? Have you ever heard of the concept of "discretion"?
Some people are asexual; some are not. You may "assume" whatever you wish to assume about him, but it doesn't mean you're right.
I know nothing of any aspect of this man's sexuality, but I *do* know it's irrelevant to me, and irrelevant to the beautiful clothing he designed.
3
If it is irrelevant, then why do most other obituaries mention spouses, significant others, as well as children and even stepchildren? It was all facets of his life that made him an extraordinary designer, including the fact that he was gay and had a partner.
2
I'd heard the name but never really seen his clothes until now. The guy was clearly a genius. Fashion and fragrance adds so much to life although I admit that I don't know much about either. But I can't tell you how a good perfume and clean clothes just brightens up and invigorates the entire room. It reminds me of when I lived with three other male roommates and our female neighbors across the way would occasionally visit to give us some left over baked goods from their get-togethers. It was a brief reprieve from the usual sour smell (and mood) that infused the place. I thank Givenchy and the men and women who still take pride in the way they dress.
13
So sorry to hear of his passing. He is the last of the really iconic designers in my book, and always such a class act.
12
So glad I took the trip from Paris to Calais last summer to see his modest but compelling retrospective there (of all places!). Remarkable and stunning couture of a bygone era - and so clearly a far cry from what today passes for elegant dressing.
14
The only Givenchy item I could ever afford was the lovely scent of L'Interdit. It connected me to Audrey, whom I admired but in no way resembled. I wish they hadn't discontinued it. I have a photo of Audrey and Hubert in middle age, sitting together on the banks of the Seine, the picture of elegance and grace. RIP.
22
I remember as a child puzzling over the L'Intredit perfume ad in my mother's Vogue -- "Once she was the only woman in the world allowed to wear it" -- then my eyes traveled to the photograph of exquisite Audrey Hepburn, her perfect face shaded by a delicate black veil. I understood.
15
Too old to give fashion much thought, I don't really care anymore.
However, in my adult life of JC Penny's budget, and Bergdorf' taste, Givenchy was the epitome of chic! It was always fun to see the pictures of his collections and his clothes made women look beautiful and comfortable I thought.
His death is an end of an era.
17
M. de Givenchy's designs were a balm to the eye after so much of what was worn at the time at both couture and common levels. Like a drink of pure cool water rather than a fruity, fussy umbrella drink.
Like pearls, which gleam, rather than faceted stones which sparkle.
9
Hubert de Givenchy is rightfully synonymous with haute couture. His designs still entrance.
What a well-lived life. One hopes that Mr. Givenchy has met up with Miss Hepburn and is already beginning to design for her anew.
16
Some years ago, I saw a TV advertisement for Givenchy in which the man himself extolled the virtues of his product. I was deeply impressed, for Hubert de Givenchy struck me as a man of distinction, class, and charm. My first direct experience with Givenchy came when I was in Miami for a few days in April 1988. I visited a store there run by a lovely Brazilian woman. She introduced me to Givenchy Gentleman Cologne. I tried it on and ever since that has been my favorite cologne. I wonder now who can replace a Givenchy? It seems in many respects the world has grown colder, harder, and now places little value in promoting the virtues of living a quiet, measured life of leisure. After all, living a life that is all work and no play & pleasure make for dull, unhappy, and uninspired people.
24
Could NOT possibly agree with you more and I've been wearing Gentleman since I was in my early 20's and am almost 57. You have impeccable, olfactory "taste" and even though I'm just a middle-aged, middle class suburban American, I worship the Haute Couture of the Masters & Mistresses of the golden age of clothing design and I truly mourn Givenchys' death. There's a photo online of his personal desk in either his atelier or home and it has a small, stunning, silver framed photo of his adored Audrey Hepburn on it and it's beyond touching and heart wrenching. See my comment too....I think you're on the exact same page as me :-).
10
You and Wes have taste and class! You don't have to wear designer couture clothes to look elegant. Bet you both are great dressers!
1
We need another true arbiter of good taste and elegance. The shows in Paris and London- even from the "great" designers- were dreck and rags, and unwearable by women who have taste and body sense.
26
After the NYT mantra yesterday regarding more recognition for the obituaries of women, it's ironic how the obituary of fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy is on the top of your homepage, but that of inventive poet Lucie Brock-Broido is tucked away.
7
Givenchy is far more famous. Give the identity politics a rest. it is destroying the country.
27
The Guardian states in their obituary, "He died on Saturday at the Renaissance chateau near Paris that he shared with his partner and fellow designer, Philippe Venet." Strange that The Times did not mention this fact - not really though.
16
I agree its strange that the Times didn't mention Givenchy was gay. Maybe it didn't fit with the "elegance" theme of the obit.
I'm tired of the media ignoring the fact that those worthy of an obituary were also gay. To us gay folk out there its a significant slight.
6
?? An entire generation knew he was gay...and while it's completely unnecessary that they didn't mention where he died and with whom he shared it with, you're somehow suspecting homophobia from the Times?
13
We should honour Pierre Cardin while he is alive as well. The greats are almost gone. We have May Quant and Barbara Huleniki around from the 60's and 70's.
9
FUNNY FACE and CHARADE would not be the same movies without his clothes, they were that important.
49
When you look at too much of what passes for haute couture today , you can appreciate the classic designers who came of age after WWII. I had a 5"9" trim and well exercised mother who was a "killer" in the one Chanel suit my father could afford on a trip to Paris in 1960. Those were the days.
Now with torn jeans, t-shirts and a lot of prêt-à-porter that looks like someone gave up on it half way through, we have lost so much. Merci, M. Givenchy.
55
I hope we learned by now not to mourn passing of men in these positions until they have been cleared by all women who came into contact with them of sexual assault. Just give it some time at least.
2
Givenchy was known to be gay by those who knew high fashion. It was of no interest; and it probably why he was never accused of sexual assault by his models. And, no one needs to be "cleared by all women" in any field.
7
Givenchy raised the fashion bar by the timelessness of his classic designs.
Something today's designers should aspire to. Rather than being trendy alone.
19
There was also a lovely perfume, Eau de Givenchy. I don't think it's available anymore.
9
EB it is available still! Macy's and various other online places!
3
It is still available online (even at Amazon!) -- although, like a great many olfactory masterpieces, it has likely been reformulated over the years. eBay may also be worth a try.
There are several other Givenchy fragrances as well.
1
And, for men, the sturdy, half-sweet "Monsieur de Givenchy" in the small blue bottle. I've bought those azure aftershaves for 50 years.
5
When I was living in Paris, I came across a book he wrote called, "To Audrey with Love." It included his drawings of all those wonderful dresses, hats and gowns he designed for her, as well as a few for Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor. It had a dedication that read, in French, "Looking back on times that have gone by so fast, I wish, my dear Audrey, to send you this gift of colors, a few sketches retracing all those years of happiness and creation we shared. You had a passion for dresses, you wore them better than anyone else, you gave them a life even more intense. I would like for this book of souvenirs to evoke the memory of so beautiful a friendship, the friendship we have shared forever, Hubert." I'm so glad we, as movie-goers, were able to share with them.
58
Thank you for sharing this story. It let you get a glimpse of his personal side, how he felt about the women he designed for. What a lovely message to Ms Hepburn in the book.
10
How heartbreakingly beautiful....brings tears to my eyes. I MUST find that book! I'm so envious of ANYone who had/has such an incredibly close, passionate and loving friendship as those two. What an incredible blessing they shared.
14
A few years back, the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid hosted the first (and only?) major retrospective dedicated to Hubert de Givenchy. The exhibition ran from 22 october 2014 to 18 january 2015, and I was fortunate to have been in Madrid at the time to experience this exquisite event, curated by Givenchy himself, that focused on the clothing he created from 1952 to 1996, when he rerired. Several of Audrey Hepburns pieces were there, including the Breakfast at Tiffany's dress.
The range of quality and elegance across these 44 years of Hubert's work was breathtaking and unmatched by anyone else, except perhaps Oscar de la Renta, also, sadly, now deceased. It was especially rewarding to know that Mr. de Givenchy had designed and installed the entire exhibit, personally supervising each detail from beginning to end.
Having just viewed almost all the pieces in the recent Fall 2018 collections courtesy of the NYT online, it appears to me that no designer currently alive seems to be either capable of, or willing to execute, simple timeless elegance and dignity in the dressing of women. Hubert and Oscar were perhaps the last. Although we still have Carolina Herrera, but she has announced her retirement, so the end of elegance may be soon upon us. All that will be left is this apocalyptic nightmare of unwearable fabric concoctions of what passes for couture in the 21st century.
Sad.
44
How INCREDIBLY LUCKY were you!? Very happy for and envious of you to have seen the exhibit. Also, I could not possibly agree with you more with regard to the rest of your comment. VIVE' LA DE GIVENCHY!!
8
There is no one to replace these elegant people whose style, public behavior and attitudes inspired me and so many of my friends. There is no one and nothing to aspire to in looking at today's rich and famous. But maybe the lessons of people like Givenchy, Bunny Mellon and Jacqueline Onassis are not of interest in a world that seems to have forgotten or doesn't care about learning to live graciously and quietly.
103
THE KING IS DEAD. Thanks for all the grace and beauty you gave us.
47
Think pink! Thank you Monsieur Givenchy.
16
Pink is Schiaparelli. Givenchy is Breakfast at Tiffany's!!
11
jb's reference is to a number (sung by Kay Thompson) in the Astaire-Hepburn film "Funny Face," clothes by Givenchy.
5
From the film Funny Face with Audrey Hepburn.
2
Elegance, elegance, elegance.
138
I can think of a couple of Parisian designers who worked for Hollywood: Chanel, Schiaparelli. But no one made the lasting impression Givenchy did with Audrey Hepburn, the definition of "icon."
56
He was the quintessential gentleman and a true masterly eye for fashion and all he touched. He was kind, he was welcoming and always above the fray. A great friend, too. His home on the rue des Saints Pères was a place of tranquility and elegance, as was he. What a long and fulfilled life! Bless you.
56
With the death of each master couturier the age of elegant simplicity in fashion is drawing to a close. Dries Van Noten may be the last of these in the current generation of designers.
There are several true artists working in modern fashion, but the industry itself dictates terms that are different from those under which Givenchy created his greatest work. The emphasis is on marketable accessories and ready to wear, designer must churn out collections several times a year, and runway shows are more extravagant and expensive to mount.
Givenchy helped shape a noble age in French fashion. Audrey Hepburn's little black dress says it all.
32
I watched Charade last weekend and in the opening credits it said, very simply, "Miss Hepburn's Clothes by Givenchy." And that said it all.
213
It’s the same for Breakfast at Tiffany’s!
2
A fashion genius who made a lot of folk happy. RIP
41
Givenchy
did you dress her for me?
Breakfast at Tiffany's
a remembrance of many epiphanies.
21
He was the one designer that knew how to make women look sooooo beauituful. His clothes can still be worn today......never going out of style! to this day, I still buy clothes that resembled his designs...and I always get complimented on them.
My mother and I never missed an Audry Hepburn movie because we knew he designed all her clothes. I will always have those fond memories of how mom and I spoke abut her gowns and dresses.
Givenchy was THE BEST!!!! May he rest in peace.
81
there will be some very well-dressed angels in Heaven...
82
Mr. de Givenchy deserves recognition and his obituary should be acknowledged by the Times.
Now may not be the time but, this paper just published an article about the lack of women being recognized in their obituaries by this paper in its long history.
Is there no woman that can be written about that died these last few days that made contributions to our world and can be recognized by the Times?
7
There have been women's obits in the last few days
Ursula Marvin, Geologist of the Extraterrestrial, Dies at 96 - The New York Times
http://nyti.ms/2p96eQS
Lucie Brock-Broido, Inventive Poet, Is Dead at 61 - The New York Times
http://nyti.ms/2FIHsRJ
8
Identity politics is literally destroying discourse in this country. If you do not like the fact that many men have achieved great things in their lives, look the other way.
9
Do remember, MM, that women have also but have until recent times been "Mozart assassinés" on account of patriarchy, chauvinism and like male attitudes and behavior. Yes, women have been shut out of creative and inventive pursuits because of male dogmatism and domination. In the 18th and 19th centuries women were allowed to write their mushy novels as long as they did not infringe on males and their affairs, and did not write about these matters. Women have had a hard time of it and still do, and you ought to congratulate cherrylog754 for her concerns. Identity politics do matter since we see that mostly White males of a certain age voted for donald trumplet, but since they presume to control public and social affairs, I suppose you believe this is normal and untoward, thus sanctioned. I read somewhere the quip that "if I were a woman, I would scream!" I am a male but scream, nonetheless. Women, scream more!
1
"...creating entire collections with specific women in mind."
The kind of grace and elegance was unmisketable. The claim to the fame of who invented the little-black-dress always reminds me of the many people who try to claim the mantle as the inventor of the web. But no one can dispute Hepburn's little black dress in Breakfast At Tiffany's as the ultimate arbiteur of THE iconic look.
Elegance and grace aside, I wonder if a fashion house like this would thrive in the modern world now. Just look at the homogeneity of its models, the elite look of the fashions that would put it out of reach of those who gravitate among mass fast-fashion. Such is the changing of times, with the changing of guards.
14
Coco Chanel "invented" the little black dress.
7
RE: "elegance & grace" cannot be put aside, those qualities are the entire point. Qualities missed entirely by the current crowd of crass, vulgar, tasteless hacks for hire who lack real taste & style and only copy the work of others from years ago...where is the modern talent? Kenye West? What a sick joke. Sad to see the high fashion business brought so low. Thank you Monsieur de Givenchy for your incredible devotion to beauty and your lifetime of work that endures. Thank you and rest in peace and beauty. What a life well lived!
6
Many memories of the Givenchy shop on the corner of Madison Avenue and 75th Street. The shop was on the corner and the windows were not only facing Madison Avenue but wrapped around 75th Street as well. After work, I would always walk up Madison Avenue to window shop and made it a point to walk very slowly around each window as assess each dress design. I recall only dresses or skirt ensembles - never pants.
As a young woman who moved into New York City at 19, I was enthralled with Givenchy's style and haute couture craftsmanship on those wonderful afternoons at dusk peering in the windows of his shop. It was fashion unlike anything I had ever seen.
Hubert de Givenchy - a true icon and master couture craftsman, may you rest in peace and thank you for your style and élan - which, sadly, is so lacking in current fashion.
216
You bring back memories kkm - as a very young girl of 17 going on 18, working at my first secretarial position for Standard Oil of New Jersey, headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, I took the same walk as did you starting at fifth avenue and working my way toward Madison and 75th. I bypassed Sacks and Bonwits, was so intrigued by Givenchy style, so elegant and lady-like. A far cry from what I see today. Oh, to be able to go back to that time when the world seemed so elegant, when girls grew to become ladies. Afraid I'm feeling a bit like it's a sad day in Mudville and wonder if there will ever be a return to such discreet elegance in women's wear.
12
On a first walk in the city, en route to the museums and the park, I found myself on Madison Avenue, and even as a fashion illiterati, I knew this was something. You couldn't miss the bright, bold, simple, colors and energy that radiated over the entire block, if not the Avenue itself.
1
I have never been fortunate enough to own a Givenchy, however, sometime in the 1980s I sewed a Givenchy dress from a Vogue pattern. I bought a lovely piece of Italian wool for the dress and even did muslin practice pieces on some of the more difficult sections. I didn't want to mess up this dress. The owner of the couture fabric shop where I bought my wool commented on the dress when I wore it in one day. I wouldn't have ever had the nerve to talk to this busy, somewhat intimidating man about my dress, but he looked up from what he was doing, immediately recognized what I was wearing and nodded his head in approval. He then gently told me that I not followed the directions in interfacing the neckline bow with the proper type of interfacing (true) and that the dress, while lovely, wasn't what Givenchy had intended. A lesson I never forgot. The amazing thing is that I always got compliments on the dress, even years after it should have been out of fashion. There is something about designer clothes that lasts and lasts.
128
An aside on Vogue patterns: if you can follow a Vogue pattern, you can build a house. I made many designer clothes years ago from Vogue patterns and feel they contributed to my overall understanding of design and fine construction.
25
Ditto on Vogue patterns. They were always more difficult and detailed than Butterick or Simplicity, but if you paid attention and took it slow, you were rewarded with amazing clothes. Givenchy wasn't the only designer who licensed to Vogue; it was a great resource for sewers who wanted to up their game.
6
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn were as classy, timeless and beautiful as was Hubert de Givenchy's style and creations. Their collaboration reminds me of the chicken and egg analogy - not sure which side had greater influenced on the other, but together, the end result was shear brilliance and unstated elegance, which was their hallmark for many years.
134
Now it’s just leggings (and lord-knows-what over them), no matter how ill-suited they are to the body.
34
@MargeKeller - Yes, the classy, elegant, and money'ed look, it's unmistakable. The one exceptional thing about those bygone era, is how "exclusive" the look can be. Remember Holly Golightly? Yes, that girl who was looking in from the outside. But wait, just a little black dress and some heavy jewelry would go a long way. Fairy tale as it might sound, yet no, I don't long for those times to return, nor my daughter in resorting to just her looks, rather than her brain and capability, to be able to stand on her feet. These days, we don't wait for fairy tales to happen to us, we don't sit around waiting for some Prince Charming to rescue us. If we were still wearing those constraining skirts and gloves, could we still be the go-getters in our own careers?
6
I met him once many years ago - he was impressive not only because of his extreme height but his charm, kindness and elegance. We won't see his like again - this world is too coarse and tasteless.
108
I could NOT possible agree with you MORE. In fact, going out in public here in metro Detroit Michigan is a dependable exercise in genuinely HORRIFIC bad taste and utter slob-hood. I eternally mourn the death of pride of appearance and BASIC self respect.
4
Givenchy's designs were elegant, sleek and simple. The beautifully constructed garments he created for Audrey Hepburn live on in her movies and our memories. She was a vision of loveliness, elegance and delicacy in those Givenchy gowns and cocktail dresses. It's how so many women dreamed they would look if only they had the figure, face and personality -- an ideal.
35
Whoa whoa whoa - "It's how so many women dreamed they would look if only they had the figure, face and personality"? Oh my, I must respectfully disagree with this assessment. I honestly believe Hubert de Givenchy's genius was in his ability to make any woman look enchanting and beautiful with his "elegant, sleek and simple" designs. It's very similar to that old adage, "clothes makes the man" and in this case, the woman. How could any woman NOT feel beautiful and alluring wearing his fashions?
27
Audrey Hepburn was adorable, smart, charming and a good actress, but I never wished to look like her (nor do or did I). If you read her biography she attributes her extreme slenderness to the effects of near starvation living in Holland under the Nazi occupation.
I currently work in a vintage shop and if I have to hear one more young woman gushing on about Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Audrey’s style....such a cliche.
2
His was a time when clothes molded a woman's body to bring out the feminine side and leave a little mystery. Today the mystery is over as less is better and nothing is left to the imagination. He was a fashion icon who knew how minimalism and just a touch here and there was genius.
264
He was the quintessential elegance which was "thrown out with the bathwater". Elegance is no longer around.
32
According to Edith Head: Your dresses should be tight enough to show you're a woman and loose enough to show you're a lady.
72
The idea of feminism and girl-power is always interesting to me. The elegance of the House of Givenchy was remarkable, but is it really more feminine to dress like Jackie O in the bygone, or in boyfriend jeans? There was a certain homogeneous look in those bygone era that is pervasively conforming, yet it can feel suffocating to me. Do we have to dress like a doll, blond hair and fair skinned, to live up to Givenchy's "ideal" woman look? In the rush to nostalgia, we should not lose sight of how liberating fashions can be these days. Women really can dress however way they want it, be comfortable, and still feel good about it. And we can certainly wear pants!
32