Kiki Georgiou reports on the Givenchy show
The realisation that Riccardo Tisci is one of nine children, eight of whom are girls, made this a ‘file under feminist’ collection, because Tisci knows women - that they are strong yes, but can still cry at Bambi like a nine year old would and they’re sensual and free-spirited and kick-ass and complicated – imagine that!
Would it suffice to tell you that Givenchy was perfect, just perfect? We could leave it at that, couldn’t we friends? You can go and browse through the pictures and scream 'WANT' when you see the Bambi sweatshirt and feel your heart melt at the image of Natalia, her hair curled tight into pink roses, her sweater sparkling, her pretty rose-adorned white tulle skirt revealing the toned legs that carried her through a half-marathon earlier that morning? But then, I wouldn’t tell you about the beautifully haunting voice of Anthony Hegarty singing his and our little hearts out with 'You Are My Sister' and how it contributed to making last night a true moment when everything stops and we’re watching something very personal and emotional unfold in front of our fashion-fatigued eyes. And you wouldn’t know about the note from Anthony left on our seats, a manifesto of femininity putting the world back together ('If there is to be a future on earth that includes us, it will be feminine') and how the realisation that Riccardo Tisci is one of nine children, eight of whom are girls, made this a ‘file under feminist’ collection, because Tisci knows women - that they are strong yes, but can still cry at Bambi like a nine year old would and they’re sensual and free-spirited and kick-ass and complicated – imagine that!
Was the Bambi sweatshirt silly and sweet? Sure thing, but what’s wrong with that? When worn belted over a tulle skirt adorned with crystals and mid-calf python boots it was cool as hell. The floral print biker jacket tied as a peplum over a grungy plaid shirt led to another over a floating, tiered dress that acted as a jolt of romanticism next to the all black, high power trouser looks – the puffa jackets cropped and belted over long, flared velvet trousers. Strong doesn’t cut it. And then came the swirling fire and paisley prints, the skirts kicking just so at the zip-trimmed hemlines and the sparkling long and cosy sweaters over delicate long skirts slashed high. If the tiered frilly dresses brought to mind Yves Saint Laurent’s gypsy collection from the seventies it made me realise the impact they must have had back then because here I was admiring how fresh they felt among a sea of mediocrity. How cool to wear a dress like that with ankle boots and a leather jacket tied tight on my waist. 'You are my sister and I love you, may all of your dreams come true.'
