Matthew Williams Finally Finds His Feet At Givenchy

FashionRunway

Mar 2

Since replacing Clare Waight Keller as creative director of the beloved French fashion house Givenchy in 2020, Matthew Williams has struggled to find his feet. Taking over the creative orchestration of a heritage house that had continued success under your predecessor is not an easy task. Speaking at the time of his appointment, Williams stated, “I am looking forward to working together with its ateliers and teams, to move it into a new era, based on modernity and inclusivity.” It is undeniable that Williams has attempted to update the brand, although this has mostly blown up in his face.

Founded by Hubert de Givenchy in 1952, the fashion house swiftly received critical acclaim, boosted by the designer’s relationship with Old Hollywood stalwart Audrey Hepburn. Elegant and streamlined, the luxury designs (excluding even gowns, of course) balanced casual and chic in a way many at the time had yet to master. Givenchy presented the first shirt dress in 1954 and would be the first high fashion designer to create a luxury prêt-à-porter clothing line called “Givenchy Université". From its very earliest days, Givenchy was a symbol of refined grandeur without flashing wealth in one’s face.

Aware of the brand’s identity, Clare Waight Keller sought to continue along this well-trodden road, creating some truly marvellous sculptural couture collections as well as Meghan Markle’s highly famous boatneck 2018 wedding dress. One should, rightfully, applaud Williams for thinking outside of the box, however, his ideas fell flat with many. Baggy denim, oversized jackets, mini crop tops and matching sweatsuits were a striking U-turn to what audiences had become accustomed. While, objectively, many of these could be considered good (whatever that means!), it was not Givenchy.

It would seem, however, that Matthew Williams has learned that you cannot change a 71-year-old fashion giant overnight and that, in some ways, you shouldn’t necessarily seek to. His FW23 collection shown in Paris today was much-needed proof that LVMH didn’t make a mistake in their hiring process. Tasteful, indulgent silks and wool coats were balanced by a handful of Williams's signature streetwear silhouettes as well as a myriad of elevated yet minimal evening pieces that would shine on any red carpet. The missing component to Williams’s collections has been found. Balance.

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