Givenchy

By Christine Suppes

The Givenchy show was held at Musée Bourdelle, a beautiful space with elegant sculpture gardens. The models were displayed (there is no better word) in cage-like atmospheres, and grouped to their skin tones or hair colors. Although this in and of itself was off-putting, there is no escaping the fact that Riccardo Tisci makes beautiful, desirable clothes. Pale khaki bustier dresses, "tulle illusion", hand-painted cotton tulle...long sleeveless dress in silk tulle and Chantilly lace with a cascade of ostrich feathers hand painted in a degrade from black to pale khaki....the message "I could have danced all night" resounded and made one think of Audrey Hepburn, the first famous muse of Givenchy. Miss Hepburn was dressed by Cecil Beaton for that movie, but nonetheless, the spirit of ultra-femininity and joie de vivre that prevailed so many of the movie's scenes could be found in these curious cages. Whether it was a khaki colored trench coat or a khaki colored tulle gown (and there were other colors as well, scarlet, black, ivory and white), all called out the message of the Eternal Feminine and glamour forever.

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