Givenchy’s Struggle For Cultural Relevance
Matthew Williams, Creative Director of Givenchy
Givenchy hired 1017 Alyx 9SM’s Matthew Williams to reinvigorate the house. But will this move actually bring the cultural relevance Givenchy seeks?
There’s something that feels off about one of the most historic fashion houses making a thinly-veiled grasp at cultural relevance. I mean, yes, the first thing I think of when I hear Givenchy is that time 2 Chainz made it sound like a sneeze in “All Me” when I should probably be thinking of Audrey Hepburn, but still. Givenchy is a force to be reckoned with. Why should they chase Alyx’s internet hype?
One of the major issues that plagues Givenchy is that almost everything that makes them legendary, relevant, or even just interesting, occurred in the past. In this sense, Givenchy is the Manchester United of the fashion world. There’s a deep history, and they’ve had some moments this decade, but when discussing their greatness, you’re ultimately forced to to rehash past moments. When you think Givenchy, you think of Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress. That was last century. Maybe, if you’re being generous, you think of Givenchy slides at Barney’s. They’re greatly lagging behind the rest of the LVMH brands — once in the same vein as Dior and Fendi, they’re arguably less relevant than JW Anderson, Celine, or even Kenzo. With the exception of Claire Waight Keller’s work designing Meghan Markle’s dress for the royal wedding, there’s nothing about Givenchy that stands out over the past five years.
Repairing this image is a mammoth task for Williams; he’s expected to shift the public perception around a brand that’s almost become an afterthought among younger consumers. I’m just not sure that Williams has the widespread appeal LVMH thinks he does. He’s the least recognizable member of BEEN TRILL, and Alyx never quite permeated into streetwear as much as its celebrity endorsements might’ve suggested. How is this going to work out, reviving a stagnant brand as the fashion industry melts down in the middle of a pandemic?
Cultural relevance is an aggressively temporary goal to chase. What happens if Matthew Williams misses a trend? Right now, all we know about him is his success at Alyx. The brand has only been around since 2015, so we haven’t seen Williams adapt to new trends, or step outside of his refined aesthetic, or even face any sort of controversy. Once the initial hype dies down, does Williams have the chops to create a legitimately compelling image for the house? I’m most curious to see how much of Alyx he takes to Givenchy, especially as the brand frequently hits the sale sections of SSENSE and Barneys.
Is this actually going to translate to sales? Are sales even the primary goal, or is it to establish Givenchy as an aspirational brand among younger consumers? Matthew Williams is an amazing designer, but I’m not sure if he has the pull among younger customers that LVMH thinks he has. Alyx is often available on sale, even including its infamous rollercoaster belt buckle. Yes they have heavyweight endorsements, but being I*n C*nnor’s favorite brand can (should) only take you so far. And as great as it is that an American is getting a job this major, I want to see someone outside of Virgil Abloh’s camp make a move of this nature, because this reads as LVMH hoping to create Virgil-lite at Givenchy. Perhaps then, the best goal Givenchy could have is getting their foot in the door with younger consumers and exposing them to the house’s deep history, especially as Millennial’s begin to takeover the luxury goods market.
I’m willing to bet that the first season will have some allusion to Givenchy’s little black dress but with a Matthew Williams spin on it. If it has a rollercoaster belt on it, I might throw up, but I’ll be at the front lines yelling about how big of a moment it is for streetwear. Truly, the duality of man.