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by Julien Macdonald
Givenchy remains under British domination! Since Hubert de Givenchy retired in 1995, the Avenue George V couture house owned by Bernard Arnaud’s LVMH conglomerate has been under the direction of some of Britain’s top designing minds.
After John Galliano, who was briefly in charge for a couple of seasons, and Alexander McQueen up until spring 2001, the house’s creative direction for both the haute couture and ready-to-wear lines is now under Julien Macdonald’s responsibility.
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 View Givenchy's photos from the show |
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Barely 30 years old, “MacDo” as the British press calls him, wanted to become an actor but his passion for beautiful fabrics led him first to a one-year foundation course at Cardiff Art, a BA in Fashion Textiles course in the British seaside town of Brighton, then to the Royal College where he obtained a Masters of Arts in Fashion Knitwear. Then followed an internship with Koji Tatsuno and a job as knitwear designer for Chanel for two years, where he garnered attention for his superb knitted tweeds and web-like metallic knits created in a true couture tradition.
A veritable knitwear magician, Julian Macdonald launched his own label in 1997 and, the following year, struck up an alliance with the Italian brand Lineapił. The young Welsh designer has acquired the habit of decorating his garments, carefully crafted in superb fabrics, with sparkles and glitter – which has earned him the nickname “British Versace”. His designs are worn mostly by women who want the spotlight, women such as Kylie Minogue, Joan Collins or the Spice Girls… He made such an impression with his own creations that in the spring of 2001, Givenchy CEO Marianne Tesler announced his appointment as artistic director for the house, saying that “his creations are in harmony with the Givenchy woman: modern, elegant, sexy and feminine.”
“My dream is coming true,” responded MacDonald, whose second collection for the venerable house is available this fall. He is presenting a fall-winter collection that looks like a summer collection, featuring leather pants and sheer tops… for women who are not afraid to wear high-heeled thigh-high boots. And when the weather turns really cold, he warms things up with immaculate Saga sheared mink blousons. His women wear maxi sleeveless vests in russet Saga mink accessorized with an oversized shoulder bag trimmed with a row of fox tails… In other words, this is for the ultra-sexy girls who have given Givenchy a breath of fresh air. After all, this is the house where elegance was once epitomized by the sublime little black dress.
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