History

Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy, born on 21 February 1927 in Beauvais, France, was a French aristocrat and visionary fashion designer whose name became synonymous with elegance, sophistication, and timeless style. The younger son of Lucien Taffin de Givenchy, marquis of Givenchy, and Béatrice “Sissi” Badin, Hubert de Givenchy grew up immersed in an environment rich with artistic heritage. His maternal family included prominent artists and designers, including his great-grandfather Jules Dieterle, a set designer for the Paris Opera and Beauvais tapestry factory, ensuring that creative sensibilities were instilled in him from an early age. After the untimely death of his father in 1930, Givenchy and his elder brother Jean-Claude, later president of Parfums Givenchy, were raised under the guidance of their mother and grandmother, both of whom nurtured his artistic inclinations.

The young Givenchy’s passion for fashion was sparked by the 1937 Paris World’s Fair, which left an indelible impression on him and inspired him to pursue a career in design. He honed his skills at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and began his professional career working for celebrated designers such as Jacques Fath, Robert Piguet, and Lucien Lelong, where he collaborated alongside future legends Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain. From 1947 to 1951, he contributed to the avant-garde ateliers of Elsa Schiaparelli, further refining his artistic vision and technical expertise.

In 1952, at just 25, Hubert de Givenchy launched his own fashion house at the Plaine Monceau in Paris, inaugurating a brand that would redefine modern elegance. His early collections, often created with economical fabrics, displayed a remarkable sense of innovation and artistry, distinguishing him from the more conservative trends of postwar haute couture. Givenchy’s collaboration with the iconic actress Audrey Hepburn, beginning in 1953 during the filming of Sabrina, solidified his reputation. Hepburn not only became his muse but also the face of the house, wearing Givenchy’s designs both on and off screen, and inspiring fragrances such as L’Interdit and Le de Givenchy. The Givenchy aesthetic blended French refinement with understated modernity, an ethos that extended naturally into his perfume line, Parfums Givenchy, developed with guidance from Cristóbal Balenciaga and housed initially in Balenciaga’s own Paris offices.

Givenchy’s perfumes achieved remarkable success. In 1958, L’Interdit was launched with Audrey Hepburn as the exclusive muse, marking a pioneering moment in advertising by featuring a movie star to embody a fragrance. Subsequent launches included Monsieur Givenchy and L’Eau de Vetiver in 1959, followed by Givenchy III, which emphasized memory and elegance with the tagline, “Who knows why one reminds a woman and not another? Givenchy III gives memories to men.” The growing acclaim of his perfumes necessitated the establishment of a dedicated factory in Beauvais, ensuring consistent quality and production of his elegant compositions.

Givenchy’s influence extended far beyond fashion and fragrance. Between 1976 and 1983, the Ford Motor Company collaborated with him to produce the Givenchy Edition Continental Mark series of luxury automobiles, showcasing the designer’s ability to imbue everyday objects with refinement. Throughout his career, Givenchy’s clientele included royals, socialites, and celebrities such as Empress Farah Pahlavi, Marella Agnelli, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis. Audrey Hepburn remained the house’s emblematic figure, wearing Givenchy designs in films such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, How to Steal a Million, and Charade, while other luminaries like Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Greta Garbo, and Wallis Simpson further solidified the brand’s reputation for exclusivity and elegance.

After retiring in 1995, Givenchy entrusted his fashion house to successors, including Dominique Sirop, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald, and, since 2005, Riccardo Tisci. His legacy endures, not only in the iconic “little black dress” immortalized by Audrey Hepburn but also in Parfums Givenchy, now part of LVMH, which continues to reflect his vision of sophisticated, accessible luxury. In 2007, the French Post Office recognized his cultural influence by commissioning postage stamps designed by Givenchy for Valentine’s Day, a testament to his enduring impact on fashion, fragrance, and French elegance.