Matthew Williams’ rebirth for Givenchy

When it comes to Givenchy we think of Audrey Hepburn and that beautiful little black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Then we think of Rottweilers in black oversized t-shirts thanks to Riccardo Tisci or fantastic and classic silhouettes by Clare Waight Keller mostly worn by Meghan Markle at the start of her new royal life. But now we are introduced to Matthew Williams, who is entering the Givenchy house in a more modern way, captivating a certain type of youth; he’s not into classics at all, he’s more inclined towards a punk-contemporary-edgy vibe.

Maybe that’s just what Givenchy needed, a revamp of a truly eye-catching and classic aesthetic—would Audrey Hepburn approve? I sure think so. The house’s codes are seen scattered around the William’s collection and we can see a profound respect for it, it’s like a children’s painting you just need to look at it from afar.

His first collection for Givenchy was spring summer 2021, presented as a look book. You could definitely see some of Givenchy’s famous codes like the cape, sharp shoulders, and what I like to call “conservative sexyness”.  Also a really eye-catching moment was the innovative and fun approach to tailoring. Givenchy was not as strong in the tailoring world as Dior was but still a certain aesthetic came out of Givenchy’s persona and image that allowed many different designers, previous to Matthew Williams, to focus on the brand’s codes and nurture, break, elevate and even not pay attention to them at all–yes, I’m talking about you Riccardo.

With Matthew’s previous and really personal experience at Alyx 9SM, we can say that he really merged the subversive culture that was present at Alyx, with the incredible and admirable craftsmanship that is embedded at Givenchy. Givenchy went from dressing royals to dressing Kendall Jenner; from a floral and ultra feminine aesthetic to a modernized grunge; from experimenting with materials to experimenting with visuals. This allows us to witness the rebirth of Givenchy, as many designers hold the baton and try to incorporate their identity with an identity and aesthetics that has been around for decades.

Williams was considered–or still is–part of the “streetwear world”, so it’s interesting to see how a streetwear pioneer is being the one creating modern dreams and fantasies at Givenchy and is able to capture the same market as previous designers did, but this time is focusing on a younger, more free and careless segment.

While designers come and go, we need to learn that a fashion house like Givenchy is not an easy road to take on, we need to appreciate and value the work that Matthew has been doing because it truly speaks of today’s society and how we are able to evolve so quickly.

To me, Matthew Williams is the new Daniel Lee–minus all the Bottega drama of course!