How does one begin to write about Monsieur de Givenchy?
I put on my new, beautifully feminine black leather heels, an elegant well-cut dress, lipstick and a hat. I am ready.
Monsieur de Givenchy is a rare constellation with two suns.
"I had two privileges in my life: to have been loved by two people who were remarkably talented, Cristobal Balenciaga and Audrey Hepburn. They both gave me something exceptional that I carry within me, even today" - Givenchy
The Fabric
Monsieur de Givenchy speaks tenderly about his family. They were originally from Venice and ennobled in 1713 by King Louis XIV - after which, all males automatically held the title of Marquis. His grandfather was the director of the famous 'Goblins and Beauvais' tapestry factories, and one of his maternal great-great-grandfathers designed sets for the Paris Opera.
The stage is set.
His father died when he was two years old. He and an older brother were brought up by a devoted mother. Twice a year his grandmother aired his grandfather's collection of costumes, the only moment they could touch, smell, wear, and be photographed in them. These strong and loving women would eventually be reflected in his choices and in the women he dressed in later years.
At a very young age he knew he wanted to be a dress designer. At this time it was unacceptable for a man of his standing to envisage this as a career, as he was expected to hold a prestigious position in society and, at that time, women dominated the world of couture. One of these women was Chanel. When he told his mother that he was set upon this career, she said, "If you want to be a dress designer, fine, never complain, never change your mind". She was always the first person who came to his shows, to kiss him on the cheek...
In a televised interview, he cited as his geniuses: Madame Vionnet (who freed women of the corset, created the bias and draping), Cristobal Balenciaga (his idol with a classical refined cut), Yves Saint Laurent (smoking for women) and Madame Grés (draping and pleats). All were influences in his vision of feminine elegance.
As a young boy he dreamt of working with Cristobal Balenciaga, this was a dream that would unfold in later years in unexpected circumstances. At the age of seventeen he started working with Jacques Fath, then with Robert Piguet, Lucien Lelong (whose assistants were Pierre Balmain and Christian Dior) and finally with the avant-garde Elsa Schiaparelli. This was at the pinnacle of haute couture and in consequence, he developed an extremely feminine, elegant style.
The Cut
At twenty-four Monsieur de Givenchy opened his own fashion house. Working in a white coat, his assistants affectionately called him "Monsieur" The myth was born. His first collection was an innovation; It consisted of separates, which are a classic design today, but unheard of in the 1950's. Because of the cost, the collection was in white cotton shirting that was normally used for fittings. It was "Monsieur's" first great success: 'Fresh and chic!' He took fashion into the streets. His Bettina Blouse was named after a top model of the time that had appeared on the cover of Life Magazine. He raised hemlines and introduced the "Bag dress", the streamlined sheath dress that has come to symbolise fashion in the '60's. He met Mr Balenciaga, the first sun of his constellation, in 1953 at a Condé Nast cocktail party in New York. For Mr Balenciaga, "A good couturier has to be an architect for the plans, a sculpture for the shape, a painter for the colour, a musician for the harmony and a philosopher for the measure".
As Mr Givenchy's mentor, he encouraged and guided him, letting him use his own perfume workshops and sketches. Their rare and beautiful friendship was so important that Mr Balenciaga called him his adopted son. In 1956 they were the first to present their collections simultaneously to press and buyers in order to thwart imitation. In 1959 Mr Givenchy moved to almost opposite Balenciaga's fashion house at 10 ave George V. Here they conferred on a daily basis. Mr Givenchy said about him, "There was absolutely no cheating, He was the most honest couturier from the point of view of his craft."
The Models
When Mr Balenciaga closed his fashion house, he referred his highly esteemed clients to Mr Givenchy and thus he dressed many women of the time; Babe Paley, Gloria and Dolores Guinness, the Duchess of Windsor, The Countess Mona von Bismarck, Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, Grace Kelly, Greta Garbo, Elisabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Marlene Dietrich...
He dined with the Duchess, spent vacations with Barbara Hutton in her villa in Tanger, received Garbo in his country residence...
The women he dressed were magnificent, strong willed, ahead of their times. Babe Paley wrote for Vogue, had four husbands and was amongst the fourteen best dressed women in the world. Gloria Guinness, who eventually married a Count, wrote for Harpers Bazaar. The Countess Mona von Bismarck was deemed the best dressed woman in the world in 1933, the first American to receive this honour. Followed by the Duchess of Windsor in 1934 and Elsie de Wolfe in 1935 and Jacqueline Kennedy: the inimitable First Lady of the United States.
Lee Radziwill introduced her sister, Jackie Kennedy, to Mr Givenchy in the late 1950's hence her signature look: pastel shifts with matching coats, empire waist dresses and boxy suits topped off with a pillbox hat. For the official dinner at Palais de Versailles, which was hosted by President and Mrs de Gaulle, Jackie presented herself in an exquisitely elegant ivory silk evening dress, designed by Mr Givenchy, embroidered by Hurel with silk floss, silk ribbon and seed pearls. Hence the famous quote by the President J.F.K. "I am the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris, and I have enjoyed it".
She also appeared in a Givenchy dress holding her newborn baby, John, for the Feb 1961 issue of Harpers Bazarre. Tragically, with the assassination of J.F.K., she was seen wearing a Givenchy dress that had been flown over from Paris for the funeral. Jackie had thus breached protocol by having her gown made, once again, by a French couturier. (After wearing foreign creations, the American Government deemed she should only wear 'made in America').
Of the Countess von Bismarck, Mr Givenchy said that, "She was splendid, as could be seen in the portrait that Dali had painted of her and had seduced five husbands". She was mad about pearls and bought them in kilos during cruises in the China Sea and the ports of Japan. She had two lifts of different speeds installed in her apartment in ave de New York; the faster one was for the domestics so that they reached the landing before her to open the door.
Mrs Wallis Simpson, The Duchess of Windsor famously said," You can never be too rich or too thin". Mr Givenchy made a cover to protect his creations for her from prying eyes, the colour? Windsor blue! He said of her "The Duchess was one of a very few women who could wear anything. But one of an even fewer who was wise enough not to". In 1972 the Givenchy workshops were open all night in order to finish the famous black riding coat that the Duchess wore to the Duke's funeral.
The Muse
From a family of Barons, Audrey Hepburn, the second sun, would develop an intimate friendship with Hubert de Givenchy.
"I first met Audrey Hepburn in 1953. I was expecting a Miss Hepburn and naturally thought it was Katherine, who I greatly admired. There, framed in the doorway, was this beautiful, tiny, skinny person who appeared very fragile, with huge doe eyes, wearing a small pullover, trousers in fabric from Vichy and a gondola hat with Venice written on it. She asked me to create the dresses for her leading role in "Sabrina". As I was in the middle of a collection I had no time to do this. She insisted and said she wanted to try on my clothes. Everything suited her so we decided to lend her copies. (...the black tailleur and strapless white gown embroidered with black and white flowers). Billy Wilder, the director, agreed and so it was. That night we dined in St-Germain-des-Prés and I found her different from all other women and felt a profound sympathy for her..." and so started a lifelong friendship.
Audrey Hepburn wanted a décolleté, which hid her collarbones, Mr Givenchy invented it for her and it set such a fashion that later on he named it the "décolleté Sabrina". They were both at the beginning of their careers and Audrey Hepburn, being deeply touched that Mr Givenchy would help an unknown, wanted him to dress her both in her life and in her films; Funny Face '57 (nomination for best costume design Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy), Love In the Afternoon '57, Breakfast at Tiffany's '61, Charade '63, My fair lady '64 (Best costume award Cecil Beaton), Paris when it Sizzles '64, How to steal a Million '66, Love amongst Thieves '87 (TV).
Ralph Lauren: "I truly feel Audrey gave Givenchy a look. As time went on, they collaborated, but I think she picked what was Audrey out of Givenchy." Their friendship was a rare and beautiful thing. For Hubert de Givenchy she had everything, not only was she beautiful, but also talented, a great lady, humane, loyal. Their friendship deepened over time and he became her confidant. After finishing her career as an actress she worked tirelessly for UNESCO, paving the way for many actors today. On her sixtieth birthday, Hubert de Givenchy sent her sixty white rose bushes whose buds were just starting to blossom. For her son, who she considered a divine intervention, he came to Lucerne with the christening dress that he had had embroidered in Spain. Such was the spirit of their friendship, that he created a perfume in her honour. "I had a photo of her in mind, her face covered by a transparent veil, like a mist of perfume, I looked for scents that corresponded to her personality. I tried them out on her." When he spoke about commercialising 'Her' perfume, she said "mais, je vous l'interdit" (but, I forbid you) thus giving the perfume its name. Hubert de Givenchy asked her if he could use her image for the fragrance and she immediately agreed, becoming the first muse in the history of advertising. With its aura of exclusivity, this floral fragrance epitomises Audrey Hepburn; soft, chic, sophisticated, romantic and outrageously feminine. "Despite all the difficulties in her life, Audrey managed to keep a little of her childhood. And she spent her life trying to give that magic back to us. That is what made her a fairy, a sweet magician who was an inspiration of love and beauty. Those fairies never really leave us completely"
With the re-editing of L'Interdit, we wear a little of Audrey Hepburn's magic today, we see the world through the eyes of love and beauty.
As Billy Wilder once said, "...God kissed her on the cheek and there she was".