Givenchy

Givenchy () is a French brand of clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics with Parfums Givenchy.

The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy and is a member of Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter. It is owned by luxury goods behemoth LVMH and in 1993 achieved a total sales worth of $176 million, making it the second largest apparel division of LVMH after Dior.

Under Hubert de Givenchy, 1952-1995

During his reign as the designer of the label bearing his name, Hubert de Givenchy was known for his modern, ladylike styles, which earned him many loyal clients. The most famous patron of the brand was Audrey Hepburn in films such as Sabrina, for which Edith Head claimed the Academy Award, How to Steal a Million and Breakfast at Tiffany's. His other famous patrons include the Guinness, Grimaldi and Kennedy families, who famously wore Givenchy clothes to the funeral of John F. Kennedy. Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995.

Womenswear, 1995-Present

John Galliano succeeded Givenchy upon his retirement but was in turn promoted to Christian Dior less than two years later, prompting the hiring of Alexander McQueen. In 2001, designer Julien Macdonald was appointed Artistic Director for the women's lines, which consist of haute couture and ready-to-wear.

The reins for both collections were ultimately passed on to Riccardo Tisci in 2005 when he was named chief designer of womenswear. Tisci's apparent fascination with gothic touches...
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