« I really wanted to synthesize a powerful and sophisticated femininity, playing on multiple American and Parisian influences, sports and craftsmanship. Next to her, the man is contemporary with a certain chic nonchalance. On the runway, both are grounded in a sense of reality. » Said Matthew M. Williams, artistic director at Givenchy of his Fall/Winter 2022 show. Applied to everyday fashion archetypes, the sensibility of Givenchy’s Haute Couture atelier elevates the seemingly ordinary to the extraordinary this season, while making the formal approachable in the everyday. Silhouettes are both simple and monumental, ornamental and practical, layered and direct, highlighting Matthew M. Williams’ signature blend of luxury and functionality, once again highlighted in this collection for men and women. In the spotlight is a sharp, drawn femininity through a tailored silhouette that is both formal and informal, pure and bold. Nothing is too precious, even when the materials are: weathered denim is adorned with spectacular sequins and beads in homage to Hubert de Givenchy’s sense of practical ornamentation. The ruffled wool dresses are inspired by the world of sports through spectacular colors and meshes that sublimate the everyday on the one hand, and on the other allow a certain casualness for the evening. They dress a graceful and determined Amazon, whose dramatic aura is enhanced by appearances of bare skin. Drawing inspiration from outerwear – and encompassing a rich and functional palette of browns, greens, grays and blacks – the designer’s color sensibility is unconventionally expressed in fluid, fitted silhouettes as well as sheer, delicately hand-embroidered dresses or ruffled dresses. Here, Givenchy’s classicism and radicalism are united in a play of layered volumes and textures. Washed jersey, the standard of everyday clothing, is explored here with a new, complex and layered rigor, where experimentation with graphics and 4D embroidery is brought to the fore. At the same time, this attitude contrasts with classic tailoring, where we find structured forms with single and double buttoning, but always with ease and lightness in wools and flannels. In the silhouettes, wide pants and voluminous coats are opposed. For its part, denim is worn, studied and treated with the same care as the duchess satins that are also found in the collection. The silhouette allows for the combination of these elements, whether it is long and loose or short and fitted. There is a plethora of details, such as intricate ruffles, handmade smocks or pleats of ease, which bring movement and comfort to these pieces that will create a place in the wearer’s daily life.

The collection is punctuated with elements inspired by Hubert de Givenchy’s Haute Couture archives, modified and updated. Hardware becomes jewelry and pearls become nails. The pearl represents both an assertive and practical choice, in the form of nails, but also an extravagance, with hand-beaded garments, as well as jewelry and bags. Other archival re-imaginings include a reworked 1955 ocelot print, overdyed and applied to men’s outerwear with a contemporary interpretation. The black thistle embroidery – alongside the pearl, the thistle is the motif of the collection and also features on the prints – is actually painstakingly handcrafted from goose feathers and is also transposed onto jewelry and shoes. Leather accessories provide a guiding structure to the collection, whether used in luxurious and functional outerwear, pants or skirts, or as a stylish second skin underneath clothing, as with Givenchy’s signature stretch boots, which literally elevate the silhouette and the wearer. The new bags adopt a softer, more flexible construction, whether it’s the New Hobo with the signature Lock or the latest iterations of the Kenny and the delicately padded 4G bags, which also experiment with new proportions. On the Kenny bag, exceptional finishes allow for a different and enriched approach to this everyday piece. The TK 360 sneaker, with its revolutionary, fully knitted shape, sets the tone. Easy to wear, evolving, elevating and protean, it represents a radical vision of everyday life. This season, the TK360 adopts more graphic lines, giving it a sportier attitude. Discover the exclusive backstage photos by Schohaja for Crash of the collection below…