Givenchy Spring Summer 2020 Men's Collection
Fusing Old and New World aesthetics, the Men’s Spring Summer 2020 collection by Clare Waight Keller emits a palpable energy – projecting a boundless sense of urbane masculinity from Paris into the Florentine hills. Through the garden labyrinths of the Villa Palmieri, visions of classicism are awakened and warped, transforming the flourishes of the Art Nouveau with a post-internet glitch. The silhouette breathes with ample volumes embracing nuances of chiaroscuro in both surface and narrative, as hyper styled visuals invoke the dark poetry of Charles Baudelaire. The palette washes from pale fresco shades of damask rose, buttermilk, powder blue and tomato to inky night tones of midnight, burgundy and gunmetal.
Tailored in relaxed three-button and double breasted shapes, soft jackets (sometimes sleeveless) are cut in gleaming technical cottons, crisp checks and subtle pinstripes paired with matching straight or wide 90’s trousers slung with double belts and chains. In blooming print mesh and technical knits, cycling tops hug the torso as a second skin layered beneath tailoring and engineered outerwear, joining boxy short-sleeved shirts and cargo trousers in a play of formal and informal codes. Furthering this conceit, gothic “Fleurs du mal” calligraphy is fragmented into abstract prints, whilst a series of bonded anoraks and flyaway parkas feature ultra light Korean textiles from reflective metallics to velvet-touch nylon.
Born in Beauvais and raised amongst the tapestries of “La Manufacture des Gobelins”, Hubert de Givenchy’s penchant for opulence is reborn in archive Italian jacquards, as overcoats and trousers morph from traditional scrolling florals into pixelated new forms. Rendered extravagant in glittering bugle-beaded coats, the technique is echoed in silvery stripes and worn with floating crepe scarves for an effortless take on undone evening wear.
Balancing performance with elegance, the Spring Summer 2020 accessories collection harnesses an array of polished, functional details from head to toe. Classical and industrial motifs are intertwined throughout from baroque pearl chain jewellery and magnetic webbing belts, as weekender and hiking backpacks in leather and chain jacquard are emblazoned with ripcord closures, detachable zip pouches, and the Givenchy ‘Paris’ couture tag. Throughout the runway show, high or low-top multicolored sock trainers are joined by an exclusive Givenchy x Onitsuka Tiger embroidered track shoe in black or white leather.