Givenchy, Hubert de

(1927- )

   Born in Beauvais, France, Givenchy began his career working at the house of Fath at the age of seventeen. He then worked for Lucien Lelong, Piguet, and Elsa Schiaparelli. In 1952, at the age of twenty-five, he opened his own business in Paris. Givenchy was the youngest of the haute couture designers and created significant media attention with a simple white cotton blouse. Of course this was no ordinary blouse—it was perfectly crafted; that first collection set the tone for a career that kept Givenchy at the helm of his house for forty-three years. His approach to fashion was made up of separates and pieces that could be interchanged, each with attention to line rather than decoration. Actress Audrey Hepburn, whose style was flawless, basically became his muse. It was Hepburn who requested Givenchy to design her wardrobe for the Hollywood movie Sabrina. This was the first time that a French couturier crossed the Atlantic and bridged the fashion worlds of France and America, resulting in a relationship that continues today. He continued to make his mark with Hepburn and Hollywood; his famous black sheath, that Hepburn wore in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, went to auction in 2006 with an estimated fetching price of more than $100,000. Givenchy also became the desired choice of designer for First Lady Jackie Onassis, Grace Kelly, and Gloria Guinness. A dear friend and student of Balenciaga, Givenchy today is active in the Balenciaga Foundation in Getaria, Spain. Givenchy realized licensing was a business model to be embraced and went on to develop numerous licensed products. In 1988, he sold his company to French conglomerate Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton (LVMH), while remaining as head designer. Bernard Arnault took over LVMH two years later and, by 1995, Givenchy and Arnault parted company when Givenchy retired. Givenchy was first replaced by John Galliano, then Alexander McQueen, followed by designer Julien McDonald. By 2005, Riccardo Tisci was the creative force behind the Givenchy name.