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For SS13 Riccardo Tisci went back to his roots, not just his own, but also the fashion roots of the House of Givenchy, to create a stunning collection debuted at the Lycée Carnot last night. Referencing Hubert Givenchy’s 60s couture as well as revisiting his own Italian Catholic heritage he combined sensual ruffles with the sobriety of nuns habits. The church-like atmosphere was heightened by the melancholy music played on the giant organ, dominating the runway, whist in the DJ booth, Discodromo mixed a pulsing techno beat— a perfect example of Tisci’s ability to sample from the past but bring it firmly into the present. This season Tisci’s girls, with their hair scraped back, and bleached brows moved at a rapid pace wearing Mollino-inspired shoes with metal heels and broad straps of clear plastic. The clothes, in a precise palette of ecclesiastical black and white with touches of baby blue and pale beige, were mostly lean and narrow with ultra minimal frills to outline the sleeve or neckline. Clear plastic chokers edged with gleaming metal, suggested clerical collars, but remained ultra modern and almost futuristic at the same moment. Today, Tisci managed to filter key elements of the Givenchy code through his own entirely contemporary vision; the new church of Givenchy.
Text: Caroline Newell
Photography: Mitchell Sams
See all of our SS13 womenswear coverage here.
