Fashion Design: Culture & Context
An analysis of the Parisian Fashion House and its key creative directors through the time, from the Golden Age of Couture to the Golden Age of Branding
Riccardo Tisci is largely considered the real successor of Givenchy. Born in the South of Italy in a family composed only by women - he has eight sisters and his father died when he was a little child - he has always had a strong sensibility and interest for fashion and the feminine world.
He moved to London when he was 17 years old and graduated at Central Saint Martins. He then came back to Italy to work for several labels, as Puma and Coccapani. In 2005, still unknown to the masses, he was appointed as new house designer for Givenchy. His freshness and his personal vision were exactly what the brand needed. With his modesty, originality, and a resolute desire to learn, the fashion house gained a new lease of life. Unlike his predecessor, he had great success and he helped the brand to increase its sales.
Riccardo Tisci
The real transition that could actually save the brand, from a high-fashion brand into one closer to Ready To Wear, has been made by Riccardo Tisci. Tisci’s vision is a mixture of delicate melancholy, fine sensuality and strong gothic touches. He is able to combine a modern elegance to romanticism, understanding what women desire.
Giving the lead to Tisci has been a brave decision. He is growing wiser along with the brand, giving it his own signature. Thanks to his ability, his awareness of the market and his know-how, Givenchy achieved a new resounding success.
In his last collection, the F/W Ready to Wear 2014, he describes a new way of being a woman. Beautiful and powerful, absolutely contemporary, as only happened at the beginning of the French maison.