Givenchy‘s SS23 show took place in the Jardins des Plantes, a botanical hotspot for new and hybridized natural world discoveries.
This green-tinged expanse also served as a meta-commentary on Matthew M. Williams‘ attempt to implement a cross-pollination of French and American style during his headline-making tenure at the Parisian fashion house.
This season’s collection attempted to muddle even more of these codes, fusing the elegance of French eveningwear with the rigid, utilitarian cuts found in metropolitan workwear.
Williams experimented with blazers with nip-waisted corset details, distressed denim cut-offs with plenty of cargo pockets, and midi-skirts made of conjoined trousers legs reinforced with carpenter knees and chunky belt loops. There were boxy, cropped tweed suits, olive-hued hoodies with raw hems, and flouncy silk trousers with layered denim waistbands.
The Givenchy woman of today isn’t content with a cocktail party or a work session. Her wardrobe must reflect the contradictions of our modern, “digitally borderless” world, so tough leather motorcycle jackets and see-through lace blouses with ruffled necklines have been thrown in.
