Review of Givenchy Fall 2023 Fashion Show
Matthew M. Williams Comes into His Couture(ish)-era
By Angela Baidoo
Whisper it, but today’s fall 2023 Givenchy collection, after several stop-starts, could be the beginnings of the designers flirtations with the world of couture. As there were a number of heavily crafted looks which displayed that expert atelier undertone, and the silhouettes of several gowns with high or drop-waisted skirts that spoke to Hubert de Givenchy’s couture evening wear from the late 1950s and mid-1980s.
As more than mere red-carpet fodder for stylists to fawn over, there was the very real possibility that Williams was starting to take tentative steps into the world of couture, with a knitted sweater encrusted and woven with pearls which descended into decadent disrepair at the hems, and the sculptured overlapping folds of a tailored blazer with elongated sleeves, an exciting prospect of things to come in a season or two.
The call for couture may finally have been answered, as from the sculptural tailoring to the full-skirted gowns which could have been plucked straight from the archives, Williams could be teasing a preview of things to come during next seasons couture week
In a breakaway from the #y2k party aesthetic from last season, but very much aligned with the men’s presentation in January, there was a distinct separation of this collection into three parts. Opening with couture-like tailoring, there was a linear structure to the silhouettes, purposefully shown in all-black to start off proceedings, this meant a leaning in by the audience to fully appreciate the extended shoulders and pleated details, which created an unexpected new take on the hourglass. Reworked forms followed classical function in elevated stapes that call to the woman who wants to dress well with a side of punkish street sensibility.
The leather outerwear throughout gave each look a polished finished and were some of the designers strongest elements within the collection. A longline lemon-yellow number which was styled with a co-ordinating column skirt and pussy-bow blouse with XXL ties worked together effortlessly and will bring in that stealth-wealth customer who will have been watching this seasons runways with their credit cards at the ready for the abundance of ultra-luxe wearable clothes that speak to their lifestyles.
The middle section saw a return to Williams streetwear DNA and will appeal to those who come to the brand for its elevated take on the genre. This season, as per his men’s show, there was further development of his layered grunge looks, which may seem like they would be hard to replicate off the runway, but each individual element would work well if stripped down to a few basics, such as the tweed cargo trousers with the crew neck sweater, varsity bomber and wrap skirt, or the garment-washed hoodie and leather mini. Williams knows how to hide his knowing blend of street, sport, and tailoring in plain sight.
And to close, there was a real return to dressing the part for all occasions as neon-lit sheer dresses, fought for dominance with floral chainmail. While the only nod to the trending 1990s that were needed was the structured draping of a one-shoulder dress, a high-neck pearl top with satin maxi skirt, and a minimalist column dress.
Williams way around casual layering – synonymous with streetwear – should be applauded, as while putting on several jerseys and wearing a skirt over trousers will appeal to his Gen Z customer, these styles can just as easily to broken down and worn as reworked elevated basics.
It would also be a missed opportunity not to highlight, that after a season of eagerly awaited debuts and sophomore outings from those newly appointed to the helm of the luxury industry’s most important houses, Williams Givenchy collection as a whole gave a confident indication to the powers that be in the C-Suite, that given the time to establish a new narrative or modernise house codes, the right resources, and unwavering support from the top-down in the first few years (not seasons), the next generation will prove their mettle as the new wave set to carry on the legacy’s and financial viability of luxury’s biggest names.