Fashion Gurus - Essay Example

? Hubert de Givenchy and Riccardo Tisci: Fashion Gurus of Their Eras Word Count: 2,019 (8 pages) Choose two different artists from the same country from different time periods. Demonstrate how the change of the socio-cultural environment gave rise to different artistic interpretations. The artists to be discussed are Hubert de Givenchy and Riccardo Tisci. Write an academic essay with a well-structured argument, referenced according to the Harvard technique. Compare and debate works thoroughly, go into deep analysis, leave out details which are irrelevant, conclude the essay properly, and summarize what you were writing about with some additional discoveries which you have made use of. Explain 6 pictures, use 4 books and 4 websites as references/sources. I. Introduction (250 words) Hubert de Givenchy was a designer in the mid-20th century who began the famous House of Givenchy. Givenchy was the driving force behind a majority of the wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, an actress who became a major film star with the blockbuster movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. “Hubert…[was] a brilliant young designer (twenty-six to Audrey [Hepburn’s] twenty-four)[,] who had worked under de Segonzac at Schiaparelli before leaving in December of 1951…” (Wasson, 2010, pp. 38). He got his start in designing clothes that were elegant and fashionable—yet practical for the modern woman of his day. Some years later, Riccardo Tisci would take over his fashion empire in 2005, bringing to the House of Givenchy a drastically different style and taking the company in a new artistic direction. Known for his bold use of dark colors—especially black—Tisci took his knowledge of Givenchy’s style and put his own unique spin on that staple of the fashion industry. Here three samples from Givenchy’s work himself—as well as Tisci’s work—will be examined. It was attempted to match sample garments that, at least indirectly, resembled each other. These pieces will be analyzed in detail. The first piece is a plain black dress; the second piece is an overcoat; and the third piece is a coat. Each piece will be compared and contrasted and thoroughly analyzed in order to see what drove and drives each of these artists (Hubert and Riccardo) respectively. Finally, conclusions will be made regarding both of the artists. II. How the Socio-Cultural Environment Led to Different Artistic Interpretations (250 words) Courtesy: Rosenwald, 2011, pp. 1. In this first piece we see by Givenchy, this is a scene with Audrey Hepburn in an orange pea coat. It reminds one of the pea coats that were typical in the 1950s and 1960s, similar to something that Jackie O might have warn. Jackie Kennedy, by the way, was also another popular devotee of Givenchy, having had many—if not a majority—of her wardrobes designed by him. Obviously, the length of this coat, and the bright color, catches one’s eye and draws one into the wearer’s visual field. Notice the high neckline, the fuzziness of the pea coat softening the appearance of Hepburn’s face. With a stunning hat, Givenchy accentuates Hepburn’s sophisticated look. Courtesy: “Paris, Feb. 28th, 2007,” 2007, pp. 1. Riccardo Tisci, as the 21st-century lead designer at House of Givenchy, came out with the Japanese mariner-style coat, pictured above, for the 2007 fashion line. Obviously not a pea coat, this style takes a page from a different culture’s playbook of an era and co-opts it in order to make a fashion statement. The industrial look is now ‘in.’ Tisci has this model dressed entirely head-to-toe in black. Strikingly sleek and visually interesting, this jacket has a short, clean cut with a lapel. The neckline is not raised at all, and this jacket is rather form-fitting instead of Givenchy’s more bulky pea coat. This highlights the 21st-century necessity for streamlined lines and utilitarianism. Any kind of frivolous use of space in the design is now wasteless, whereas it used to be fun to have features on a garment piece that were not necessarily utility features. Now, everyone is about style, about practicality. III. Hubert de Givenchy’s Style (500 words) Courtesy: Rosenwald, 2011, pp. 1. In the picture above, Audrey Hepburn is in one scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s where she is wearing a simple off-white raincoat. Hubert de Givenchy’s style was elegant yet not overpowering. This classic raincoat has been imitated by various designers over the years. Its style, as compared to what Tisci’s version looks like, is classic versus modern. It has all the style of an investigative reporter or a gumshoe—a style that would be eventually used by designers for years to come. Hepburn’s upswept hair, her bent posture, and her forlorn stare only add to the mystery surrounding this piece. This is the perfect raincoat in order to cover oneself during rain or shine—but might be best used during inclement weather. Hepburn truly drew out the magic inherent in this garment by playing her part well. The quick tie around the waste, the way it so elegantly hugged her small, delicate frame, the way it accentuated the beauty of her figure—are all elements which de Givenchy sought to highlight in his design of this particular piece. It only makes sense, then, that, years down the road—the House of Givenchy’s lead artistic director, Riccardo Tisci—would once again bring a reprisal of the elegance of this piece to the forefront. However, he would re-design it in such a way that would definitely be a compliment to Givenchy’s original design. In his own manner, he would make the piece his own—without forgetting to give some hint at artistic deference to his predecessor in the industry. Courtesy: Rosenwald, 2011, pp. 1. Givenchy’s designs were not only modern for their time, but they were considered highly practical. “[Givenchy’s] designs specialize[d] in separates [such as] three tops [and] three skirts[,] which can be used interchangeably to make [different outfits]” (“De Givenchy, A New Name in Paris, 1952, pp. 1). As featured above, the two pictures of the same dress, a little black number worn by Audrey Hepburn, is the epitomy of the classic piece that is part of every woman’s wardrobe: “the little black dress.” This is the dress that can be worn in multiple ways—with a coat, with a scarf, with a sweater, with a frock, with a muumuu—really, the possibilities of how one could wear the little black dress are endless. In this particular instance, Givenchy used a simple line, a simple cut, nothing complicated. Hepburn’s classic beauty is captured in this piece, appearing anything but innocent. With a swag of pearls about her neck, she is someone to be reckoned with indeed. In a moment, one will also see Tisci’s version of the little black dress. What one will notice is that Givenchy’s design is much more classic, and, to a certain degree—conservative. At least, it is much more conservative than the black dress which is going to be displayed which is from the Tisci camp. While Givenchy’s little black dress only reveals the arms—being sleeveless—as we’ll see, Tisci’s little black dress is much more revealing, and daring in terms of crossing boundaries of tastefulness. IV. Riccardo Tisci’s Style (500 words) Givenchy was certainly not as much of a pioneer, of sorts, than Riccardo Tisci. Tisci made a career out of being provocative, direct, and risque. “Riccardo Tisci, best known for a darkly romantic look, is now designing for Givenchy, where his work is often characterized by the use of a theatrical and somewhat gothic black” (Steele, 2007, Google Books Preview pp. 4). It was not long after Tisci was with Christian Dior that he began work with the House of Givenchy. “In 2005, Riccardo Tisci was appointed as creative director of Givenchy” (Steele, 2010, pp. 371). Tisci’s work had been criticized within Christian Dior as being too “dark,” whereas Dior wanted to have someone within the ranks of their company who would imbibe a happier sentiment with their apparel. Unfortunately, Tisci was not viewed to have this “happy, carefree” component in his work, and as such, didn’t work further with Dior. Courtesy: Power search, 2011, pp. 1. The above garment is similar in style to the style of the raincoat worn by Audrey Hepburn. Obviously, this is a similar color—although a brighter white—than the original. The sleeves are what most likely resemble the entire piece. The bottom of this ensemble doesn’t really represent a raincoat at all—appearing more like a white gothic angel than anything. The model’s long hair and gaunt appearance generally supports that neologism. Although not exactly the same as the raincoat presented in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, one can see from where Tisci might have drawn some inspiration for this piece. Without a doubt, this is characteristic Tisci—modern, gothic, and unassuming. In the photo below of one of Tisci’s several versions of the “little black dress,” one is held captivated by the stunning beauty of the design. Alluring, seductive, and controversial versus conservative—this little black dress definitely works wonders for this model. Even though it is not exactly the most flattering type of dress—the bra being visible thorugh a sheath in this version of the little black dress—it is highly interesting to any viewer because it catches one’s attention. If one compares this to Hepburn’s black dress, we realize that Givenchy had designed something simple yet elegant, touching but not trite. Tisci’s dress is definitely a step into the unknown, challenging our perceptions and boundaries as to what constitutes good taste in fashion. Courtesy: Givenchy, 2011, pp. 1. Undoubtedly, Tisci remakes the little black dress into a daring piece of fashionable art. He attempts to seduce the viewer, and in shocking the audience with this skimpy number, has achieved his goal to heighten the awareness of everyone observing the fashion show. In effect, he has reached new heights in fashion by having been so impetuous and scandalous—yet trying to achieve a gothic look that is not encumbered by heavy or superfluous elements. One nice feature about this dress—among many—is that, like Givenchy’s little black dress, it could be used in many ways, with several other garments in tandem. No doubt, Tisci’s little black dress will be remembered for years. V. Conclusion (519 words) Givenchy definitely had a style that was all his own, and Tisci continues to carry on the legacy of the House of Givenchy—in whatever way that he can. Both men grew up in certain sociological eras which defined their various styles. For example, Givenchy grew up during the early 20th century, so his styles were largely influenced by the conservative norms and limited styles of his time. Givenchy, however, for his own time, was revolutionary because he tried to make styles available to women that were unique and multi-faceted—for example, not only designing a skirt, but also designing a matching top that could be mixed and matched for various occasions. Without a doubt, it was a simple idea like that which made Givenchy a household name in fashion. As for Riccardo Tisci, he too was raised in a certain era—the late 20th century, which gave rise to his 21st-century leanings in style and taste. He tends to favor gothic styles which use a lot of the color black, creating various patterns that reflect the industrial nature of city living. Out of this kind of style which emulated the at-times depressing come-and-go nature of the polis, Tisci imitated the dreariness of everyday metropolitan lifestyle, where wearing black and donning a scandalous dress could make one an overnight success. Making a fashion statement was considered, in his view, more practical than being practical. The modern and progressive liberal environment out of which Tisci arose contributed, undoubtedly, to his more forward-thinking, unusual lines of clothing. Givenchy’s style tended to be more classic, while Tisci’s style was evocative of more risque patterns and tangential frivolities. While, with Givenchy, no line or space was wasted, Tisci’s style was apt to be less practical and more modernistic. There were several comparisons that could be made between their work as well, however. Sometimes the colors in various pieces were similar for certain items, as well as the styles. On the other hand, Givenchy and Tisci certainly—no doubt—have differing styles in terms of being fashion designers—Givenchy focusing more on praxis, and Tisci focusing more on originality. There are several conclusions that can be drawn from having drawn comparisons and having made contrasts, not to mention having examined the artists’ particular upbringings in terms of eras. One of the main ideas behind having done this research is that every designer is different. Every designer has different goals, different ways of expressing himself or herself, and different ways of conveying darkness and light in ways that are expressive. It is not only the clothing itself, but the way it is creatively arranged; a touch here, a touch there, every arrangement is a potential proverbial rabbit hole in which one could lose oneself trying to find the perfect fashion style. Although there is a vast body of work which separates Givenchy and Tisci, these two designers were probably more alike than one might think—primarily because Tisci had to study the conservative, tried-and-true fashionable design before developing his own. Perhaps that is what unites these two artists even in the midst of their differences. BIBLIOGRAPHY De Givenchy, a new name in Paris (1952). Life Magazine, Vol. 32, No. 9. US: Time, Inc. Givenchy (2011). [Online Gallery Photo, Picture #3]. . Paris, Feb. 28th, 2007 (2007). [Online Article]. . Power search. (2011). [Online Gallery Photo]. . Rosenwald, J (2011). In flagrante blog. “Holly golightly.” [Online Article]. Available: . Steele, V (2010). The Berg companion to fashion. USA: Berg Publishers. Steele, V (2007). The black dress. USA: HarperCollins. Wasson, S (2010). Fifth avenue, 5 A.M. U.S.: HarperCollins. Read More