Halsey and Jared Leto at Givenchy Fall 2023 Ready To Wear Fashion Show on March 2, 2023 at the … [+]
The collection is coat-a-licious with stunning red-carpet looks
Givenchy’s AW23 show did two things: 1- it let us know that a streetwear designer can design red-carpet wear really well and 2- that oversized coats are oh-so chic. Held in the heart of the City of Lights, at the École Militaire, which former French King Louis XV founded in 1750 as a military training facility. Perhaps military uniform creators of days gone by would have hired Matthew M. Williams to design for the French military. Williams proved that he can tackle the tailoring of a coat and jacket.
Sitting front row were rapper Tyga and actor Jared Leto, who gave strong allegiance to Gucci, but not that Alessandro Michele is gone, it leads us to wonder if Leto has set his sights on a different brand? Also in attendance was former French Vogue Chief Editor Carine Roitfeld. Roitfeld has been working closely with Williams on his collections, including this one, which is a relatable one and a wearable one- an observation that came out of the Dior show on Tuesday.
Williams tapped into House archives with this collection, creating looks that go back to its founder Hubert de Givenchy, particularly looks that flow in line with the arts-driven community of the women that surround him. It is collection that empowers women, something that the creative director and his fellow chief designers have recognized and tapped into this season.
House chief designer Matthew M. Williams creates tailored coats and glamorous gowns.
“Innate to the practice of Williams at Givenchy, the dialogue between Parisian chic and American cool unfolds in a formalization of sports- and workwear,” says the House in notes. How does he do this? He takes modern evening looks forming them in elegant all-sweats or all-denim for occasion looks. A coat in denim is bonded with tailoring fabric and treated with rip and repair to give way to a tweed look. “The relaxed body language of traditional sweats and denim pieces is transformed into elevated interpretations: unstructured double-face cashmere coats and jackets, shell jackets lined in shearling, fluidly flared fine wool pants, cozy cashmere knits, and stretching smocked leather dresses,” continues the House.
Deconstructed silhouettes that bring out the streetwear designer side of Williams was palatable. But, it was the evening wear looks that really grabbed the attention of onlookers. For sure someone at next weekend’s Oscars will be wearing something from this collection, I surmise. Williams used voluminous black triangle tulle dress built on a corset and pleated it by hand. Using haute couture techniques, other pieces like grand chenille pannier dresses are embroidered with mico-floral nylon appliqué.
Several looks flow well from day to evening.
Shoes are inspired by doll shoes, with large volume with, as the House calls it: intensified toes in square or rounded shapes. Sling back shoes include pave-stitching and the Shark cowboy boot with wide-spat like shaft takes inspiration from cargo looks in the collection.
Williams has somehow made large overcoats, red-carpet wear, and streetwear styles all look desirable in one show.