Givenchy Reveals Plage Collection of Ready-to-wear and Accessories for Summer
Givenchy has unveiled Givenchy Plage, a swim and beachwear capsule of ready-to-wear and accessories that is hitting stores and online this month.
Inspired by both the lifestyle and colors at Le Clos Fiorentina, Hubert de Givenchy’s seaside estate in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the collection revisits the signatures of the house and features essential accessories, such as a “straw basket” version of Givenchy’s new Voyou bag, Marshmallow wedges and classic G-Tote shoppers.
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“The light is different in the South of France. Monsieur de Givenchy loved Les Clos Florentina for its protected, natural beauty and a relaxed elegance that was a world away from his busy life in Paris,” said Matthew M. Williams, creative director of Givenchy. “I wanted to explore that lifestyle through light and color, especially the pearly pink facades that are so typical of that region.”
While exploring the Givenchy archive, Williams came across images of the founding couturier’s earliest swimwear, unveiled at a show in New York in 1952, the same year the house presented its first haute couture collection, and staged in collaboration with an American swimwear brand. The American customers’ enthusiastic response boosted de Givenchy’s profile and in the decades that followed, he would consistently present beachwear.
The collection highlights cutouts, beach club staples, sailor stripes, pearls and pink, chain motifs and delicately woven macramé.
Ready-to-wear retails from $290 to $2,100; bags range from $620 to $2,450; shoes are from $550 to $2,595, and accessories go from $320 to $600.
Black and white set the tone for a collection designed in the spirit of separates, with pieces that lend themselves to easy layering. Linen, a favorite of the couturier, is knitted into bikinis and coverups in black or sandy beige, accompanied by a bob hat or this season’s Givenchy tote in raffia. It’s the first time that Williams has designed swimwear for the house.
Two prints dating from 1955 are revisited. Trompe l’oeil pearls return in a caftan, a sarong or a dress in pink and on a transparent T-shirt. That theme is reprised in pink and pearls on a handbag or canvas beach sneakers. A pale gray print inspired by ID necklaces also appears on G-Links, Love Locks and chains developed by Williams for Givenchy. There are also sporty mesh carryalls, sneakers and a bob hat in gray that completes the theme.
Clothing includes crisp white pajama-style separates, resort-style T-shirts and ocean blue T-shirts and shorts made of regenerative cotton poplin and linen. The collection is also filled with nautical stripes, worn with sun-faded or distressed jean shorts and denim mules, 4G sweaters or G-Totes, with white Givenchy lettering, as well as jewelry, including a bracelet, earrings and a ring in pink embellished with violet Swarovski crystals set in 4G prongs.
A selection of swimwear for women and men also incorporates tags with a QR code detailing care information, as well as supply chain traceability and recycled materials in products and packaging.
The Givenchy Plage capsule hits Givenchy stores and online this month, with a rollout through mid-May.
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