Givenchy Muses Throughout History
Looking at the women who influenced the French fashion house.
Early in his career, Hubert de Givenchy had several muses, but when he was introduced to Audrey Hepburn in 1953, it was kismet. The actress was his ultimate muse and most enthusiastic supporter throughout their decades-long partnership. Together, they made fashion history, with Hepburn wearing his designs in her films and Givenchy looking to her for inspiration to influence his atelier collections.
As the Givenchy transcended the founding designer's own lifetime, the role of muse was filled by other iconic women, each embodying different facets of the French fashion house. With a varied and versatile archive curated by Givenchy, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Riccardo Tisci, and, currently, Clare Waight Keller, the label has found success in understated elegance as well as flashy sex-appeal. Ahead, discover the most influential muses throughout the different eras of Givenchy.
Bettina Graziani
In 1952, Givenchy presented his first collection. A friend and model, Graziani opened the show in a ruffle-sleeved blouse that would come to be known as the Bettina Blouse. She was the designer's first muse and a close collaborator, acting as head of public relations for Givenchy and even helping him set up for his runway shows.
Dorian Leigh
Leigh was a top model in her day and was close with many designers and fashion photographers. She forged professional relationships with Givenchy and his friend and fellow designer Cristobal Balenciaga, donning both of their clothes in editorials like this one, in which she wears a fitted Givenchy suit with a wide brimmed hat.
Suzy Parker
Parker was another muse for Givenchy early in his career. She was the sister of Dorian Leigh, who helped her get her start in modelling. Here, she wears an elegant design with a white chiffon collar and evening gloves.
Audrey Hepburn
Hepburn was Givenchy's most beloved muse. The two met while she was filming Sabrina, igniting what would be a 40-year-long friendship. Aside from designing some of Hepburn's most iconic silver screen looks including the ballgown she wears in Sabrina and the little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Givenchy also created personal designs for the actress like the dress she wore to the Oscars in 1954 and her wedding dress for her marriage to Andrea Dotti.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Givenchy styled Kennedy Onassis during her days as First Lady, helping define her composed and prim style. On a visit to Versailles, Kennedy Onassis wore a Givenchy couture gown with floral embroidery as a nod to the nation's pride in fashion.
Grace Kelly
The actress became familiar with the designer through her film career. Like Hepburn, Kelly embodied Old Hollywood glamour in a modern way. The pale green satin dress she wore to the 1955 Oscars, when she won best actress for The Country Girl, was designed by Givenchy in collaboration with costume designer Edith Head.
Naomi Campbell
During Alexander McQueen's admittedly tumultuous time at Givenchy, Campbell was a prime muse for the designer's vision for the fashion house. Modelling the designs, she transformed into the strong and sensual Givenchy woman McQueen was creating.
Courtney Love
While the '90s icon will always be remembered for her Doc Martens and baby doll dresses, Love's style evolved to a more grown-up version of punk. This ruffle front Givenchy ensemble that she wore to the house's haute couture Fall/Winter 2008 runway encapsulates the two eras of her style. A far cry from the ladylike muse that Hepburn was to the founder of Givenchy, Love was just the type of seductress that Riccardo Tisci was after.
Madonna
Madonna became a theatrical muse during Tisci's tenure at Givenchy. The creative director collaborated with the pop star for her Sticky and Sweet tour looks in 2008, as well as her 2012 Super Bowl halftime performance costume.
Ciara
A close friend and longtime muse of Tisci, Ciara accrued a substantial collection of Givenchy including pieces from Tisci's time and from the archives. She was often spotted supporting the designer from the front row of his shows in full Givenchy looks, of course.
Kim Kardashian West
Kardashian West is a muse and friend of Ricardi Tisci, embodying the flashy era he established at Givenchy. She wore his designs to a number of events, such as a floral gown to the Met Gala when she was pregnant with North West, and before that, her lace-detailed, fairytale-like wedding dress.
Carine
For their Fall/Winter 2013 campaign, Givenchy unveiled a family oriented campaign starring Carine alongside her daughter Julia. In addition to modelling, Carine also styled the campaign for longtime friend Tisci.
Donatella Versace
Starring in the Givenchy Fall/Winter 2015 campaign, the Italian fashion designer broke fashion rules so to speak when she partnered with Tisci and modelled for the rival fashion house. Putting their friendship first, Versace and Tisci showed that fashion can break boundaries for reasons worth celebrating.
Julia Roberts
Roberts starred in Tisci's Spring/Summer 2015 campaign. Often opting for the designer on the red carpet, Roberts made a natural choice for the minimal Givenchy campaign.
Rooney Mara
The actress has stunned in Givenchy on a number of red carpets, including this embellished couture gown she wore to the 2016 Oscars. Her natural beauty has always shined while wearing the designer, which made her a natural choice to front the campaign for Givenchy's L'Interdit fragrance that was released last year, overseen by current creative director Clare Waight Keller.
Beyoncé
Queen Bey was another one of Tisci's musically-gifted muses, with the pair creating fashion magic at the Met Gala for five consecutive years. She wore custom Givenchy haute couture each year from 2012 to 2016, pulling out all the stops every time in sheer, jewelled, or curve accentuating designs. Beyoncé's last Met Gala appearance was in 2016 when she wore a Tisci for Givenchy latex gown with delicate beadwork.
Meghan Markle
Since Clare Waight Keller took the helm at Givenchy in 2017, the Duchess of Sussex has become the star ambassador and muse of the modern Givenchy woman. This was exemplified when the Duchess chose to wear an elegant and minimal wedding dress designed by Waight Keller for Givenchy.
Lily Collins
A vision in white, the 28-year old actress notably has a strong relationship with the brand and often seen dressed in Givenchy for red carpets. Dubbed a young Audrey Hepburn, Collins perfectly carries the aura of the iconic house.
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