Vintage in Pills GIVENCHY Fall 2001 Couture Paris – Fashion Channel
When Julien Macdonald made his debut at Givenchy, he set out with a clear ambition: to revive the house’s classic Parisian elegance while charting a fresh, commercially driven direction. “Everyone remembers Hubert de Givenchy’s distinctive brand of sophistication,” Macdonald said at the time. His goal was to honor that legacy while making the brand relevant for a new generation.
In this first collection, the Welsh designer approached the archives with caution and respect. Black dominated the palette, offering a sleek canvas for his reinterpretations: the sheer, ample-sleeved Bettina blouse (a tribute to Hubert’s muse Bettina Graziani), sweeping high-waisted leather skirts, and a velvet coat lavishly embroidered with sheared mink and crystal. Modern updates included tulip skirts paired with muslin shirts and cigarette pants—blending couture nostalgia with contemporary edge.
But Macdonald’s flair for the theatrical also surfaced, with dramatic Hollywood-ready gowns, feathered finishes, and one unforgettable look worn by Shalom Harlow—a ruffled skirt paired with a fully transparent net top that revealed her torso while veiling her face.
Though his debut was met with both curiosity and critique, it marked the beginning of a bold chapter for Givenchy. This retrospective captures a pivotal moment where reverence met reinvention—an early glimpse into Macdonald’s evolving vision for the house.
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